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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24818335">Mary Potter</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PsychoYuffie/pseuds/PsychoYuffie'>PsychoYuffie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Gen, Melancholy, Trans Female Character, Transgender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:54:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>32,500</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24818335</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PsychoYuffie/pseuds/PsychoYuffie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I'm going to be honest. I'm a trans woman and I simply got tired of all of J.K. Rowling's transphobic nonsense. Spitefully, I wrote this fic with one simple idea: what if Harry Potter was trans? I am interested in seeing where this may go in the future. It starts off pretty similarly to the original story, but it became clear fairly quickly that Mary and Harry are not the same character. With the added difficulty of not only growing up with the Dursleys, but also growing up transgender--which the Dursleys are not supportive, naturally, since they want everything to be normal in the strictest sense of the word. Harry always had hope that things would change at the beginning, but Mary has a much different outlook.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>69</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Girl in the Cupboard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Mary wanted to be just like the other girls in town, but life kept getting in the way and strange things kept happening around her--infuriating her aunt and uncle.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Update (3/25/2021): The chapter was updated to reduce the problematic descriptions based on Rowling's original text. Also, many typos were fixed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Up!” A shrill voice started Mary awake. It was dark in the cupboard underneath the stairs. Only a faint whisper of light shone from a small space between the boards in the door. “I said up, boy!” The woman on the other side of the door rapped on it and Mary squinted at the door. Telling her Aunt Petunia about the feelings she had was always the greatest mistake that she had ever made. Her aunt had immediately told Uncle Vernon and his cousin Dudley. Mary’s life had always been rough in this house, but that revelation had made things much worse.</p>
<p>Mary sat up and found her glasses resting next to her sleeping bag. They had round lenses and were taped together, since Dudley had a habit of breaking them. The cupboard was cozy to say the least. There was barely enough room for her to lay down.</p>
<p>The door shook in its frame as Aunt Petunia shrieked, “Aren’t you up yet?”</p>
<p>“I’m up, I’m up,” Mary said and quickly found some clothes to wear. All of her clothes were hand-me-downs from Dudley, meaning they were all too big and none of them fit her gender expression. Unlike Dudley, she was petite and short.</p>
<p>Petunia scowled down at her. She was a tall, thin woman with black hair and stern look stuck on her face. “You need a haircut.” She said, walking away. “I need you to watch the bacon.”</p>
<p>Mary’s black hair was wavy and long. She had been avoiding a haircut all spring now. It was tough, since her hair was rather messy when it was short, which made it a target when it got longer. Petunia hated Mary’s hair when it got longer because she would call it “scruffy” and “awful.” The only good thing Petunia would say about Mary preferring long hair is that it at least covered that dreadful scar on her forehead. A lightning bolt shaped scar decorated her forehand. Mary had it her whole life. It was from a car wreck when her parents died, that’s all Aunt Petunia would say about it.</p>
<p>As Mary walked into the kitchen to tend to the bacon, Aunt Petunia rounded on her with her finger. “Don’t burn it. It needs to be perfect for Dudley’s birthday—you’re not going to ruin it this year.” Petunia was referring to last year when Dudley and his friends cornered her in the backyard and pushed her into the fence. Dudley was about to punch Mary, when Mary dodged to the side and managed to get away. Dudley, being the oaf he is, fell over and gave himself a bloody nose. After realizing he was hurt, he went running back into the house. Mary spent the next month locked in the cupboard.</p>
<p>Pretending not to see the pile of gifts covering the dining table, Mary turned her attention to the bacon. Mary did her best to do what she always did: blend into the background. It was all she could do. Too bad it never worked.</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon walked into the room with his newspaper and glowered his beady eyes at Mary. “You need a haircut, boy.” Vernon was a large, plump man with a mustache. He sat door at the table and opened the newspaper with flick. “I tell you, Petunia. The neighbors will begin to talk about that one if we don’t get him to the barber soon.” Her uncle refused to use her preferred pronouns or her name. Not that anyone did.</p>
<p>At school, she was teased relentlessly. Called names that Mary did not wish to repeat. Truth be told, she wasn’t even sure what all of them meant, only that she didn’t like to be called them. There were many times that facing days at school made her wish to take it all back, but she knew she couldn’t. This was who she was. Her headmistress had recommended that her aunt and uncle send her to a therapist, which they had refused. Not because they supported her, but because it would simply cost more money than they were willing to spend on her.</p>
<p>Mary was thankful for the lack of attention as she started frying eggs. Aunt Petunia had distracted Vernon with some gossip about the neighbors. Her uncle only said absent-minded one-word responses occasionally. Suddenly, the moment was a broken with a swift pain in her back.</p>
<p>“Hey, girly boy,” Dudley said behind Mary, his voice oozing with venom. Turning around, Mary met the boy with a glare. Dudley looked more like his father than his mother.</p>
<p>Ignoring Mary’s pain, Petunia clapped her hands with a smile. “Happy birthday, my dear boy!”</p>
<p>Mr. Dursley pumped his arm, his eyes twinkling with pride. “My boy! You show that boy what a real man is like!”</p>
<p>Wincing, Mary slid the eggs and bacon onto a plate and brought them over to the table. She managed to make a place for them between the presents. Meanwhile, Dudley’s smirk fell into a frown and then his eyes narrowed. “Thirty-six? That’s two less than last year!”</p>
<p>“Thirty-seven!” Petunia said, hurrying over to pull out a gift from underneath a large present. “This one is from Aunt Marge, underneath the big one from Mummy and Daddy.”</p>
<p>“Thirty-seven…” Dudley muttered, his face red in anguish as he walked over to the table and sat down. Despite how upset he looked, it didn’t seem to affect his appetite as he began shoveling eggs and bacon into his mouth.</p>
<p>Mrs. Dursley gave a nervous laugh as she put her hands on Dudley’s shoulders and said, “How about we buy you another two presents while we’re out today? How’s that? Two! Is that better, popkin?”</p>
<p>Dudley took a moment to think about it. Mary could barely see any gears turning in that tiny head. “So that would make it thirty… Thirty-nine?”</p>
<p>Giving a clap of approval, Petunia nodded. “That’s my smart boy!”</p>
<p>Dudley gave a nod and grabbed the nearest gift. “All right then.”</p>
<p>Chortling, Uncle Vernon ruffled Dudley’s hair. “Little tyke wants his money’s worth, just like his father. ‘Atta boy!”</p>
<p>At that moment, the phone rang. Mary was thankful. She didn’t think she could watch anymore of that. Her aunt hurried over to the phone and picked it up as Dudley began vigorously opening his presents: a racing bike, a video camera, a remote-control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. Right when he was opening another gift, Petunia rushed back looking both angry and worried.</p>
<p>“Bad news, Vernon,” she said, sending a few looks Mary’s way. “Mrs. Figg broke her leg. She can’t watch him.”</p>
<p>Dudley looked like he wanted to scream but was too stunned. Mary wasn’t sure what to think. While it was true that every year Dudley and his friends went to amusement parks, restaurants, or the movies. The thought of getting beaten up and left in a bush again, only to be picked up at the security office two hours later because her aunt and uncle “didn’t even notice she was gone,” was less than exciting. It was only marginally better than being stuck with Mrs. Figg. She was a woman who didn’t get much attention in her old age and loved showing pictures of her cats. No, the best option was her to stay here and read books. She took a second to imagine being able to lay on the couch and re-read her favorite book Alice in Wonderland. It was a weird book full of mad things, but that’s exactly why she liked it. It was everything the Dursleys weren’t.</p>
<p>“Now what?” Petunia asked, looking at Mary as if she had secretly set off in the night to break the poor woman’s leg.</p>
<p>Mr. Dursley slapped the newspaper down on the table. “Phone Marge.”</p>
<p>Petunia scoffed and said, “She hates the boy.”</p>
<p>“What about what’s-her-name, your friend,” he snapped his fingers, his tiny eyes closed for a moment in thought, “Yvonne?”</p>
<p>“Vacation! She went to Majorca.” Petunia said, throwing her hand up.</p>
<p>Wait. This could happen. Her dream! Mary said, “What if you just left me here?”</p>
<p>Her aunt looked taken aback. “And come back with the house in ruins? I think not!”</p>
<p>“What could I do?” Mary asked, wondering how she could even manage something so sensational.</p>
<p>No one was listening, but that wasn’t surprising. Aunt petunia hand her arms crossed in thought. “I suppose we could take him to the zoo and leave him in the car.”</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon stood up and shook his head. “Absolutely not! The car’s brand new.”</p>
<p>Again, Mary wasn’t sure what her uncle thought she would do in his car, but she also didn’t want to spend hours in a car on a spring day. Dudley began to wail, pretending to cry.</p>
<p>Aunt Petunia rushed over and hugged Dudley. “Don’t cry, Dinky Duddydums! Mummy won’t let him spoil your special day. Not this time.”</p>
<p>“I-I don’t want him t-to come!” Dudley yelled flailing his fat arms, continuing to fake sob. “He sp-spoils everth-thing! Always!” He shot Mary a nasty grin through his mother’s arms, Mary returned it with a shrug.</p>
<p>The doorbell rang, causing her aunt to jump. “Oh! They’re here!” She rushed off to answer the door.</p>
<p>As soon as she was gone, Dudley’s hand latched onto Mary’s arm like a vice and he pulled over to him. “Listen, girly boy. If you act weird in front of my friends, I will clobber you. That’s a promise.”</p>
<p>Vernon gave an approving grin to Dudley as Petunia with two people came into the room. It was Piers Pokiss, Dudley’s crony. Piers was as scrawny as Mary and clearly only hung around Dudley to avoid being teased himself. His mother was also there, who gave a smile to Dudley and Vernon. She acknowledged Mary with an awkward look. “Oh, I didn’t realize you also had a daughter.”</p>
<p>“Mom, that’s a boy! His name is Harry and he’s a freak who thinks he’s a girl.” Piers said and then laughed at Mary.</p>
<p>Before she could react, Aunt Petunia escorted her away and distracted her with idle conversation. Vernon waited until they were out of ear shot before he reached down and picked Mary up by her collar. “I’m warning you, boy. Any funny business. Any girly behavior. Anything at all. You’ll be locked in that cupboard until Christmas. Am I clear?”</p>
<p>“Crystal, sir,” Mary said.</p>
<p>A half an hour later, Mary was sitting in the back of the Dursleys’ car with Piers and Dudley. She was looking out the window and doing her best to pretend not to hear Piers and Dudley’s snickering. This would be her first time going to a zoo, but she wasn’t looking forward to it. If it was like anything else, it would end with Mary in the cupboard. Even on the best days, things tended to happen around her and she would be blamed. Her hair never stayed short. No matter how many times Aunt Petunia gave her a buzz cut. She didn’t know how it would happen, but her hair would grow back almost immediately. Every time, she would end up in the cupboard. One time when she was running away from Dudley and his friends, she ended up on the roof of the school. She didn’t know how it happened, but the headmistress didn’t believe here and thought Mary had been climbing the building. Cupboard. Every time Mrs. Dursley tried to dress Mary in formal clothes and the clothes somehow vanished or grew smaller. Cupboard.</p>
<p>Mary genuinely wished nothing would happen today. She could just see the animals and Dudley would leave her alone. Unfortunately, she knew better. Dudley would antagonize her. Something would happen. Cupboard. Crossing her arms, Mary just wished the day would be over.</p>
<p>While he drove, Vernon complained about a motorcyclist that was driving a few cars away. “Every time. I tell you, Petunia! They’re a menace! Making noise, driving like maniacs.” The motorcycle managed to catch up and pass them. “Hoodlum!”</p>
<p>That reminded Mary of a dream she once had. A motorcycle flying through the night sky. It was pleasant. She watched the cyclist drive off and envied him.</p>
<p>It was sunny, making Mary squint as she looked out the window. She wasn’t used to this much sunlight. As they walked up to the entrance, Mary could smell the concessions. Popcorn and chips. “Five please,” Uncle Vernon said to a teenage girl behind the counter. He pointed one of his sausage fingers at the ice cream. “Two of those, as well.”</p>
<p>Leaning over the counter, the girl smiled at Mary and asked, “And what would you like?”</p>
<p>Mary couldn’t believe it! No one had ever asked her that question before. She looked over the concessions and the options filled her head and thoughts rushed through faster than she could process.</p>
<p>“Nothing,” Uncle Vernon said simply. “He has a lot of allergies.”</p>
<p>The girl frowned and said as she passed Vernon the ice creams. “That’s too bad.”</p>
<p>Mary wasn’t sure what she felt in that moment. Anger? Disappointment? It all escaped through her mouth in a sigh. She should have to just said anything. Anything would have been better than nothing. Hoping to fade into the background, Mary let the family get ahead. Maybe if she pretended not to be there, they’ll leave her alone and she can actually enjoy this outing. Luckily, this seemed to be the case. Dudley and Piers were distracting themselves and her uncle and aunt were happy enough watching them goof off.</p>
<p>After a few hours of wandering around the zoo, they stopped to eat at the zoo restaurant. It was here that Mary found more fortune: she got to eat with the family. The Dursleys must have been in a good mood because Vernon ordered a meal for her without even thinking about it. Everything was going great until the end of the meal.</p>
<p>“They hardly put any ice cream on this!” Dudley cried, pointing at his knickerbocker glory. The glass had only a single scoop of ice cream on top.</p>
<p>Mr. Dursley held up his hand and a waitress came over. “Is there something you need?” She asked.</p>
<p>“Yes, could you please bring us another knickerbocker glory? Extra ice cream, please.” Vernon said and gave his son a wink. He then passed the first dessert to Mary. “Here, finish this.”</p>
<p>Maybe she was right! Maybe her luck was finally turning around. This trip to the zoo is turning out to be the best day of her life. With a smile, she said, “Thank you, Uncle Vernon.”</p>
<p>He gave her a glower. “Just keep behaving.” With that, he turned back to find the waitress setting another knickerbocker glory in front of Dudley. This one had three scoops. “There you go, son! That better?”</p>
<p>“Perfect,” Dudley said with a satisfied grin before he began devouring it.</p>
<p>After lunch, they made their way over to the reptile house. It was dark and dank inside. There were all sorts of lizards and snakes on exhibition. Each featured wood, stones, and running water. Dudley and Piers quickly bored of the small lizards and moved on to the big cobras and huge pythons. They found the biggest snake. A yellow snake with intense red eyes. It was large enough to coil around Uncle Vernon’s car twice over. Its body was limp, curled up along a log in its enclosure. It looked like it was asleep.</p>
<p>Dudley and Piers stood there, staring at the python looking dejected. “Make it move!”</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn’t move.</p>
<p>“Again!” Dudley screamed.</p>
<p>Vernon tapped aggressively on the glass, but the snake didn’t so much as flinch.</p>
<p>Sighing, Dudley walked away and said, “This is boring…”</p>
<p>Walking in front of the tank, Mary looked down at the sleeping snake. Maybe it was dead? Or maybe wished it were dead? Mary wouldn’t be surprised. Being trapped in this place with only people banging on the glass for company. Then Mary remembered that she was woken up this morning by Aunt Petunia banging on her cupboard door. She leaned forward and stared at the snake.</p>
<p>“Maybe we’re not that different, after all,” Mary muttered to herself.</p>
<p>As if hearing her, the snake finally looked up at Mary and raised its head until it was at level with her. It paused for a moment and then winked at her. Wait, did she see that right? She blinked and looked at the snake again. She took a moment to look around. No one was watching. She winked back.</p>
<p>It nodded toward Vernon and Dudley and rolled its eyes. <em>I get that all the time.</em></p>
<p>“I know,” Mary whispered. She was wondering if she was going crazy. She could hear snakes now? Maybe the headmistress was right about her. Still, she continued, “It must get annoying.”</p>
<p>The snake simply nodded.</p>
<p>“Where are you from?” Mary asked. This was the first time she was able to ask an animal questions before and honestly her mind was blank from shock.</p>
<p>The snake pointed at the little plaque next to his enclosure. It read: <em>Boa Constrictor, Brazil.</em></p>
<p>Realization dawned on Mary’s face. “Oh, you’re a boa constrictor. I thought you were a python. So, Brazil. Is it nice there?”</p>
<p>Once again, the boa pointed at the sign and Mary continued reading: <em>This specimen was bred in captivity.</em></p>
<p>“Oh, I see. You’ve never been to Brazil.”</p>
<p>The boa shook its head, a shout from behind Mary made both jump with shock. “Dudley! Mr. Dursley! Come and look at this snake! You won’t believe what it’s doing!”</p>
<p>Dudley rushed over to the enclosure. “Out of the way,” he said, shoulder checking Mary away from the glass. She fell to the concrete hard. The wind knocked out of her, she didn’t witness what happened but suddenly Piers and Dudley were running away from the enclosure in horror. Sitting up, Mary gasped as she noticed that the glass had disappeared! Not wasting any time, the boa constrictor slid onto the floor. People were fleeing the reptile house in terror.</p>
<p>As the snake slithered passed by Mary, the snake hissed, <em>Thanks, amigo! Brazil here I come!</em></p>
<p>The keeper of the reptile house came running out of his office with his hands on his head. “Where did the glass go?”</p>
<p>After a moment, the zoo director arrived on the scene and after seeing how distraught Aunt Petunia was, he escorted her to the office where he personally made her a strong cup of sweet tea. Mary could hear him inside the office apologizing to Aunt Petunia over and over. Even Piers and Dudley, for as tough as they always acted were shivering with fear. The boa did nothing but nip at their heels. By the time they had reached the car, Dudley had invented a story where it almost bit his leg off and Piers swore it almost squeezed him to death.</p>
<p>They were almost home when Piers turned to Mary and said, “Harry, weren’t you talking to it?”</p>
<p>Mary didn’t know what to say, so she just chose to shrug.</p>
<p>Vernon waited until after Piers had left with his mother back at the house before, he grabbed Mary by the elbow. Dragging the young girl into the house and toward the cupboard. “You will stay in this cupboard until I say you can leave!” With that, he threw her into the cupboard and slammed the door closed. Mary heard the lock click on the other side. “No meals.”</p>
<p>Laying in her cupboard much later, she had no idea what time it was. If she had a watch, she could know it was safe to go sneak some food from the kitchen.</p>
<p>It had been ten long years of this. Ever since she was a baby and her parents died in a car wreck. The funny thing is that she couldn’t remember the crash. The only thing that came to her if she tried to remember was a green flash and a searing pain in her forehead. If only they still were alive. She was sure that they would have supported her. They would have bought her toys and dolls. Dresses and skirts. Let her sing and dance. Read any book she wanted. She had no idea what they were like. She couldn’t remember them, and her aunt and uncle refused to talk about them. She didn’t even have a single photo of them.</p>
<p>When she was younger, she would dream of her parents coming for her. There had been some mistake and they were alive, after all. No one ever came, though. No one knew her outside of this house. Not even at school. She was always alone. No one wanted to know her because she was different. Everyone was afraid that getting too close would somehow make them weird like her. Closing her eyes, she wished for someone—anyone—to take her away. Then she remembered being on the school roof that one time. Looking down at Dudley and his gang. Instead of being scared, a part of her wished a gust of wind would take her and she would just fall. Right now, she wished she would have.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Ms. M. Potter</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Things change drastically when a mysterious letter shows up at the Dursley's home, causing a surprising change of heart of the family. But things turn bad when the letters continue to show up.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Update (3/25/2021): The chapter was updated to reduce the problematic descriptions based on Rowling's original text. Also, many typos were fixed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mary had been punished before. Many times before, but never like this. The days went on seemingly without end. Mary was convinced that she had hallucinated the events at the zoo. There was no way that the Dursleys could have ever been so nice to her. And the snake? She wasn’t sure why it took her so long to realize it had all been a dream. Except it hadn’t. She wanted to believe it, but the evidence was here. In this cupboard. She was stuck here.</p>
<p>A few times, she had resorted to beating her head against the wall, which was stopped by Aunt Petunia. She complained about her being too loud; however, there were moments late at night when she would take Mary into the living room and Mary would cry and Petunia would hold her with what felt like genuine pity; however, she would always put her back into the cupboard. These moments were never commented on by anyone else, so it became clear that Aunt Petunia was keeping it a secret.</p>
<p>Eventually, after the start of the summer holidays, she was finally let out. Dudley had already broken his new camera, crashed his remote-control airplane, and knocked poor Mrs. Figg over as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches. Mary was glad school was over, but summer just meant finding places to hide from Dudley and his gang of cronies. They enjoyed hunting her down. They called it Harry Hunting, especially since they knew it made her angry. Beating her up was the least they could do.</p>
<p>She would lay low for the summer while reading books she checked out from the library. It wasn’t perfect, but it gave her the perfect excuse to read. She was thankful that at least Dudley and his gang were as stupid as they looked because they always had trouble finding her. She just needed to survive this summer. Next autumn, Dudley would be going to Uncle Vernon’s old private school, Smeltings. Piers was also going there. That meant that for the first time, Mary would be going to school without Dudley and most of his cronies.</p>
<p>Mary was going to the local public school, Stonewall High. Dudley thought this was hilarious. “They only send losers and deadbeats to that school. It’s full of bad kids. You’ll be dead meat there!” Dudley threw his fist up, making Mary flinch. “Good thing I spent so much time preparing you.”</p>
<p>Frowning, she just left and ran away to find a place to read.</p>
<p>One day in July, Aunt Petunia left Mary at Mrs. Figg’s house. Her aunt was going to London to buy Dudley’s Smeltings uniform. Surprisingly, Mrs. Figg was the kindest person to her in the neighborhood. She didn’t even force her to look at photos of her cats. It seemed she tripped over one of her cats and broken her leg, since then she had been less fond of them. Mary got to watch television and Mrs. Figg gave her some chocolate cake.</p>
<p>“Little girls should have sweet things,” Mrs. Figg said. Mary blinked with surprise and the old woman just giggled. “Oh, the neighborhood knows, sweetie; now, what do you like to be called?”</p>
<p>“Mary.”</p>
<p>Mrs. Figg patted Mary on the head. “That name fits you perfectly.”</p>
<p>Maybe being sent to Mrs. Figg’s house from now on wouldn’t be so bad.</p>
<p>When Aunt Petunia came back to pick her up, Mary didn’t want to go. Begrudgingly, she left with her aunt. Petunia gave Mrs. Figg a strange look but walked off with Mary.</p>
<p>That evening, Dudley was parading around the living room in his new uniform. He was wearing maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and a flat straw hat that apparently was called a boater. He twirled around a walking stick as he slid on his heel.</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon was beaming. “This is the proudest moment of my life.”</p>
<p>Aunt Petunia rushed over and brought her son into her arms. “Oh, you’re growing up so fast.” She started crying, refusing to let Dudley go as Vernon tried to pry him away from his mother’s arms.</p>
<p>It was quite the scene and Mary just looked on, feeling more alone than ever.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> The next morning, Mary woke up to horrible smell seeping into the cupboard. After getting dressed, she stepped out of the cupboard and groggily investigated the kitchen. Aunt Petunia was standing there stirring something over the sink. Walking over, Mary noticed that she was stirring a tub full of rags in gray water.</p>
<p>“What’s this about?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>She saw her aunt’s lips purse for a moment before she answered, “Your school uniform.”</p>
<p>“Oh…” Mary said, losing interest. She started to walk away. She already knew the clothes were Dudley’s old clothes and she doubted that dyeing clothes that won’t fit her will make her look good.</p>
<p>As if she was reading Mary’s mind, Aunt Petunia said, “It’ll look just like everyone else’s when I’m done.”</p>
<p>Mary knew this wasn’t true and knew she would hate wearing it. If she stood a chance at being anyone other than the weird girly boy at school, she couldn’t start the school year looking like she was wearing an elephant ear as a toga. She opened her mouth to say something, but her aunt glared her into silence.</p>
<p>Dudley and Uncle Vernon walked into the kitchen, both with wrinkled noses due to the smell. Vernon plopped down on his chair at the table and snapped open the newspaper. Dudley walked toward the table and smacked Mary’s knee as he walked passed.</p>
<p>Mary hopped in pain and muttered something under her breath.</p>
<p>There was a click in the direction of the door.</p>
<p>“Get the post, Dudley,” Uncle Vernon said from behind his newspaper.</p>
<p>Dudley sat down and grumbled, “Make Harry get it.”</p>
<p>“Get the post, Harry,” Vernon said, this time peeking from over his newspaper to see the disgust on Mary’s face.</p>
<p>“That not my—”</p>
<p>Dudley reached out and swung at Mary’s knee—the same knee—again. Mary dodged the stick and then went to get the post. There were three things lying on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon’s sister, Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and…a letter for Mary? Not just Mary. The name on the envelope clearly said: <em>Ms. M. Potter.</em></p>
<p>She stared at the letter for a moment, not believing her eyes. No one had ever written her a letter before. No one—aside from Mrs. Figg—had ever called her by her name before. Who was this from? There had to be a mistake, except there wasn’t. It was clearly for her: <em>Ms. M. Potter, The Cupboard under the Stairs, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.</em></p>
<p>The envelope was yellow, felt thick, and was heavy. The address was written in emerald ink. Strangely, there wasn’t a stamp. Turning the envelope over, she saw a purple wax seal with a coat of arms. A lion, eagle, badger, and a snake surrounding a letter H.</p>
<p>“Hurry up, boy!” shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. “What are you doing in there? Checking for bombs?” Mary could hear him chortle from the door.</p>
<p>Mary rolled her eyes and then walked back into the kitchen. She set the two letters down on the table and slid them over to Uncle Vernon. Slowly, she started to walk away, hoping no one would notice the other letter in her hand.</p>
<p>Her uncle opened the bill, his lip curling as a snort escaped his mouth. He then flipped over the post card. “Marge’s ill… Ate a funny whelk…”</p>
<p>Just as Mary was about to slip out of the room, Dudley squinted at her and pointed. “Dad! Dad, Harry’s got something!”</p>
<p>Mary bolted out of the room toward the front door. She could hear thunderous steps behind her and just as she was reaching out for the door, a hand clenched down on her shoulder. Uncle Vernon forced her to turn around and he ripped the letter from Mary’s hand.</p>
<p>“Hey! That’s mine!” Mary said, reaching for the letter, which her uncle was holding up beyond her reach.</p>
<p>Vernon glared down at the young girl and pushed her to the ground. “No one would ever be writing to you! We’re the only people you know!” With that said, he tore the letter open and went pale after reading it for a few seconds. He rushed off toward the kitchen. “Petunia!”</p>
<p>Standing back up, Mary followed him into the kitchen where she saw Dudley trying to grab the letter out of his father’s hand, but Vernon was holding it as high as he could. The look on her uncle’s face was that of utter disgust, as if he were holding a paper bag of dung. Aunt Petunia reached up and took it with hesitation. Much like her husband, she went pale and seemed as if she was about to be sick after reading it for a moment.</p>
<p>“Vernon! Oh, my goodness… What will we do?” Petunia said, leaning back onto the countertop.</p>
<p>Her aunt and uncle stood there for a moment just looking at each other. Dudley gave a grunt of frustration and rapped his father on the head with his walking stick. “I want to read that letter now!”</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Mary asked Dudley. “I want to read that letter.”</p>
<p>“Out, both of you,” Vernon struggled to say as he frantically stuffed the letter back into the envelope.</p>
<p>Both didn’t move, especially Dudley. Dudley was not used to not getting his way. His cheeks flushed with anger.</p>
<p>“Please, give me my letter,” Mary pleaded.</p>
<p>“I want to see it now!” Dudley demanded, a vein becoming visible on his temple.</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon let out of roar and grabbed both of them by the scruffs of their necks and threw them out into the hall. “Out! You stay out!” He slammed the door so hard that the wall shook. Mary and Dudley looked at each other in surprise. Mary had been treated this way her whole life, but never Dudley. Dudley rushed over to the keyhole to listen. Mary frowned by scooted over to the door on her stomach and listened from the bottom of the door.</p>
<p>“Vernon,” Aunt Petunia began. Her voice sounded desperate and it wavered as she continued, “look at this. They not only know the name he told us to call him, but they know exactly where he sleeps. How could they know that? Are they spying on us?”</p>
<p>“Watching, spying—yes, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re always following us. Should have expected it.” There was a wild quality to her uncle’s voice she had never heard before. Uncle Vernon was always strong and in control of everything. This was new.</p>
<p>“I’ll just write back and tell them that we don’t want—” Aunt Petunia said, seeming to recover her composure.</p>
<p>“No!” Vernon yelled and then took a moment to breathe. “Sorry, I meant… No. Best we ignore it. If they don’t get an answer, they’ll stop. We won’t do anything…”</p>
<p>“But if we—”</p>
<p>“That is final, Petunia! Won’t have one in my house. Didn’t we agree to stomp out this nonsense? He’ll grow out of it, just like he’ll grow out of this Mary nonsense!”</p>
<p>“Vernon, it’s been years and I’m starting to think—”</p>
<p>“No! Maybe I’ve just been too kind on the boy. Maybe if I’m stricter…”</p>
<p>Silence fell in the kitchen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>After Uncle Vernon left for work that morning, Aunt Petunia did something strange. She left Mary alone and even told Dudley to do the same. Dudley didn’t like that, but after being rejected by Uncle Vernon so forcefully, the boy seemed to have lost some of his bluster. Mary was allowed to read on the coach in the living room and Dudley spent most of the day in his room playing video games. It seemed that whatever her uncle wanted, Petunia had decided to do the opposite.</p>
<p>That evening with Uncle Vernon returned from work, he was surprised to see Mary out of her cupboard, but surprisingly he didn’t seem angry. Instead, he tossed his keys down on the end table next to the door and smiled at Mary. Petunia looked as worried as Mary felt.</p>
<p>“Now,” Uncle Vernon began, trying his best to smile, “let’s all just agree to ignore what happened this morning.”</p>
<p>“Who was that letter from?” Mary asked, standing up from the coach.</p>
<p>“I said, you’re to ignore it!” Vernon shouted and then took a second to compose himself before continuing, “I want to be civil about this, so I have a proposal for you.”</p>
<p>Mary’s eyebrows lowered with confusion. “Proposal?”</p>
<p>Vernon tried to smile once more and said, “Yes. If you agree to give up all of this nonsense.” He gestured to Mary. “And if you never ask about that letter again, I’ll give you the spare bedroom upstairs. You’ll never have to stay in the cupboard again. I’ll even speak to Dudley about giving you a break from now on.” He put his hands on his hips, looking satisfied with himself. “Do we have a deal?”</p>
<p>“All my life, people have told me that I’m not who I say I am. For the first time, I get a letter from someone who acknowledges me. Doesn’t pretend I don’t exist. And you want me to throw it away for a bedroom?” Mary surprised herself. It was like all the anger and sadness was suddenly bubbling up.</p>
<p>It looked like rage was building in her uncle too. He pointed down at her with his meaty finger and said, “Now, don’t be unreasonable, boy. I’m offering a great opportunity here.”</p>
<p>“Your ‘opportunity’ is be treated like a normal kid, but I also have to give up on being myself.”</p>
<p>Vernon just shrugged and said, “Welcome to the real world. Everyone must do that someday. Some of us just need to face it sooner than others.”</p>
<p>Standing up from her chair, Aunt Petunia said, “Enough, Vernon.”</p>
<p>This surprised her uncle, but he still stood firm while facing her. “What did you say?”</p>
<p>“We’ve been trying your way for years and nothing has worked.” Petunia looked like she was struggling, but she was still meeting his eyes. “I propose another compromise.”</p>
<p>Eyeing her suspiciously, Uncle Vernon asked, “What did you have in mind?”</p>
<p>She turned to Mary and got to her knee to look her in the eye. “If you promise to never bring up that letter again, I’ll bring you shopping tomorrow. You can get the clothes you want and we’ll even call you Mary from now on. We’ll even look into finding a therapist to help you.”</p>
<p>“What—” Uncle Vernon began to roar, but he was silenced by Petunia with a look.</p>
<p>Her aunt looked back to Mary and said, “But you can never think about that letter ever again. Understand?”</p>
<p>Now this was an offer that was truly tempting. It was everything Mary had ever wanted. It was everything the Dursleys had always vehemently refused. The Dursleys hated anything that fell out of the norm. Mary had always been outside the norm; therefore, the Dursleys had always despised her. Just as Mary was about to accept, a thought occurred to her: if Aunt Petunia was so scared of that letter that she would prefer to accept her preferred gender—then what exactly did that letter say? It was apparently something so strange, so peculiar, that she preferred Mary’s gender as the lesser of two evils.</p>
<p>Thoughts rushing through her head, Mary looked from her aunt to her uncle and then back again. She was incredibly curious about the letter, but… “Okay,” Mary said, “okay, I promise I won’t ask about the letter again.”</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon gave a sigh of relief and Aunt Petunia smiled at Mary. “Go on. Get your things from the cupboard. We’ll get you settled into your new room.” She paused for a moment and said, “Mary.”</p>
<p>Mary’s chest swelled with happiness as she rushed off to her cupboard. She didn’t have many things. She could fit everything she owned into a single box. She carried the box up the stairs and to Dudley’s second bedroom. This room was used for all of Dudley’s things that didn’t fit into his room—also, all of the things that he’s broken over the years that the Dursleys hadn’t gotten around to throwing out. Mary walked into the room and sat her box down on the bed. Dudley’s broken video camera was here, on top of an old tank that Dudley used to run over a neighbor’s dog. In the corner was an old television with a hole in the screen. A large birdcage was next to the window, which was once home to a parrot that Dudley traded at school for an air soft rifle. That same rifle lay on the floor with a bent barrel. And on the shelves were books. All the books that Dudley never read and refused to let Mary read. She walked over and smiled. They were in her room now, though.</p>
<p>The sound of Dudley’s whining snapped her out of her stupor. He was downstairs whining to someone, “I don’t want him in there… I need that room… He’ll get his gross…whatever germs all over my stuff! Get him out!”</p>
<p>Mary could hear Aunt Petunia saying something quietly, but she couldn’t make out the words.</p>
<p>“No!” Dudley cried. “I refuse! That’s disgusting!”</p>
<p>“You will do as your told, boy,” Mr. Dursley said firmly.</p>
<p>“Why are you doing this? Why are you suddenly being mean to me and nice to him?” Dudley screamed with a thud afterward.</p>
<p>“You will not take that tone with me.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The next morning, everything was different at the Dursley house and Dudley didn’t like it one bit. He screamed, whacked Vernon with his walking stick repeatedly, made himself throw up on the kitchen floor, kicked Petunia, and threw his tortoise through the greenhouse roof. Nothing changed. He still didn’t have his room back. He still had to called Mary by her name and even use her pronouns. He was scolded every time he didn’t. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia did not enjoy punishing their son, but they made an agreement and they were sticking to it. Even when they did call her Mary, it seemed forced as if they were begrudgingly spitting it out. Aunt Petunia seemed to be the only one who didn’t have to force herself.</p>
<p>At breakfast, Uncle Vernon smiled at Mary and said, “How did you sleep in your new room…Mary?”</p>
<p>Mary smiled back and said, “It was great. No spiders.”</p>
<p>“Excellent,” Vernon said with a clap.</p>
<p>“We have a busy day,” Petunia said.</p>
<p>There was a familiar click of metal at the door. “Dudley, could you please go get the post?” Uncle Vernon asked.</p>
<p>“Make Harry—” Dudley began, but was quieted with Vernon’s stern look. He scoffed and then dragged his walking stick behind him as he walked down the hall toward the door. There was a pause before Dudley shouted, “There’s another one! Ms. M. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive—”</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon cried with surprise as he stood up and ran faster than Mary had ever seen him run in her life. Mary curiously peeked down the hall and saw her uncle wrestling with Dudley by the door. She kept her distance and just watched the struggle with Aunt Petunia. Eventually, Vernon was able to snag the letter from his son.</p>
<p>“Dudley, go!” He waved his son away and Dudley grumbled something under his breath as he left to go do something outside.</p>
<p>While Mary didn’t make any move to get the letter, she still found it strange. Who sends a letter again the next day? Unless they somehow knew she hadn’t gotten it. Also, how did they knew she moved into the bedroom? These thoughts left as soon as they had come because soon after, Aunt Petunia and her left for the shop.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mary managed to get some dresses, skirts, and some rather cute tops. When they got home, Aunt Petunia even showed Mary how to brush her hair properly and take care of it. It was simply the best day of Mary’s life. Even Petunia seemed like she was having fun.</p>
<p>“You know how much I love my baby boy,” her aunt began as she brushed Mary’s hair, “but I would be lying if I said I hadn’t wanted a daughter. Vernon was fine with the one child, though. If I’m being honest, maybe that’s why I’ve always been okay with you calling yourself a girl.”</p>
<p>Mary gave her a strange look and said, “But you never said—”</p>
<p>“You’re right. Vernon was the one who rejected you and made me agree to his decision. I always regretted it.” She smiled at her. “But now, I can make things up to you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The next day, three of the mysterious letters came. Uncle Vernon’s response to this was simply boarding up the mail slot in the door. He looked proud of his handy work and gestured to it with his hand. “Now, if they can’t deliver them, they’ll just give up and leave us alone.”</p>
<p>Aunt Petunia looked less convinced. “I don’t think that’ll work.”</p>
<p>He waved his hand dismissively. “Oh, these people’s minds don’t work the same way as yours and mine, Petunia.” He points at his temple with a crazed look in his eye. “They’re mad.”</p>
<p>Mary looked up at Petunia who raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything.</p>
<p>The other kids around the neighborhood were as about as supportive as they always had been with Mary. They mostly ignored her and she kept to herself. There was just more whispering than usual. The boys still wanted to chase her around and beat her up. Dudley, however, was strangely absent from these encounters. In fact, the kids seemed to have started treating Dudley the same way as they had always treated her. Dudley was not used to being bullied. The fact that he was still bigger than most of them kept them from attacking him, but even Piers was keeping his distance.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Things started getting even stranger on Friday when twelve letters showed up, jammed in the edges of the door, under the door, and Petunia even found one in the downstairs bathroom window. Today, Uncle Vernon didn’t go to work. He spent the day boarding up the front and back doors of the house and forbade anyone from leaving. Afterwards, he started a fire and quickly burned all the letters that had been delivered thus far. He had become jumpy and nervous, constantly looking around his shoulder, looking out the windows before snapping the blinds shut.</p>
<p>“I’m telling you, Petunia, this is madness,” Uncle Vernon was complaining. Mary could hear them from the top of the stairs. Dudley stood nearby, also listening in.</p>
<p>“Clearly,” Petunia agreed, “but I did warn you that they won’t stop until we write them back. We should—”</p>
<p>“I have never spoken to or with or associated with anyone who was that…unusual. I refuse!”</p>
<p>Much of the conversations over the last few days between the two had been much of the same. Aunt Petunia is convinced that whoever is sending these strange letters will not stop until they told them to. Did she know who was sending them? These conversations made Uncle Vernon increasingly agitated and uncomfortable.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On Saturday morning, things shifted from unusual to so strange that it was almost supernatural. Twenty-four letters were crumpled into little balls inside two packages of a dozen eggs, who were delivered by a bewildered milkman through the living room window.</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon made phone calls to both the post office and the dairy, trying to figure out who was to blame for this nonsense. Mary was certain that his screaming could be heard throughout the neighborhood. Mrs. Figg even stopped in front of the house on her crutches to stare, only to be shooed away by Aunt Petunia from the living room window. After slamming the phone down, her uncle turned to her and asked, “Who wants to talk to you this badly?”</p>
<p>Mary could only shrug. His guess was as good as hers.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon came down and took his seat at the table with a smile. His face was ashen and there were bags under his eyes, but his smile was bright. “No post on Sundays,” he said finally, taking a generous helping of marmalade out of a jar and slathering it over his newspaper. “No…damn…letters…today…” With each word, he made a stroke with his knife over the newspaper.</p>
<p>Something came shooting out from nowhere and struck Vernon in the back of the head. Everyone yelped with surprise, but before anyone could wonder what it was, they were inundated with letters flying into the kitchen from the living room. Looking over, Mary noticed they were coming from the chimney.</p>
<p>They fled the kitchen and ducked in the hallway. Uncle Vernon slammed the kitchen door closed. Mary could hear letters pelting the walls and knocking things off the kitchen table.</p>
<p>“That does it! That’s it!” Mr. Dursley cried in aguish as he tore out half his mustache. “You all have five minutes to pack up some clothes and be ready to leave! We’re going away! No arguments or complaining.” He pushed passed Dudley just when he looked like he was going to do just that.</p>
<p>Mary ran upstairs and packed up some outfits into a backpack and threw some books in with them. Rushing to the bathroom, she threw her toothbrush, hairbrush, and some hair ties in the bag. When she went back into the hallway, she found Dudley trying to stuff a VCR into a bag.</p>
<p>Mr. Dursley came out of his room with a luggage and screamed, “What do you think you’re doing? I told you clothes!”</p>
<p>“I need my VCR!” Dudley yelled back, smacking his father’s leg with the walking stick.</p>
<p>Then Vernon did something that Mary had never seen him do before. He leaned back and then swung the back of his down at Dudley, striking him and sending the boy to the floor. “Stop wasting time! Pack some clothes and get in the car!”</p>
<p>Dudley whimpered and rushed back into his room.</p>
<p>Turning on Mary he jammed his finger in the direction of the car. “What’re you doing just standing there? If you’re done, get in the car!”</p>
<p>After a few more minutes, everyone was in the car. They tore out of the drive and sped off down the road. Dudley was still whimpering next to Mary. She felt bad for him, but maybe now he feels what it’s like and he’ll hesitate the next time he tries to hit someone else. Aunt Petunia was silent. Meanwhile, Mary was afraid of Uncle Vernon. The car drove off into the morning into the unknown. Sometimes, at random, Vernon would veer off in a direction.</p>
<p>“Shake ‘em off, shame ‘em off,” he muttered to himself, his eye twitching.</p>
<p>It was a long day of driving. Luckily, Mary just dove into her books and pretended to be somewhere else. They didn’t stop to eat or drink; they just drove relentlessly. Finally, after sunset, Dudley finally started wailing and complaining loud enough that Mr. Dursley pulled over at the next hotel. The hotel was on the outskirts of a big city that Mary didn’t recognize. Vernon and Dudley slept in one room and Petunia and Mary slept in another. Mrs. Dursley made sure Mary took a bath and brushed her hair before she went to bed. Mary wasn’t sure if the sheets were damp because she just took a bath or not. She thought it was best not to think about it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They were quietly eating stale corn flakes and tinned tomatoes on toast in the hotel’s lobby the next morning when the owner walked up to their table. “Excuse me, but is one of you a Ms. M. Potter?” She held up an envelope and Uncle Vernon’s eyes widened with panic. It read: <em>Ms. M. Potter, Room 17, Railview Hotel, Cokeworth</em>. “Only got about a hundred of these at the front desk.”</p>
<p>They knew where we were again? How could that be possible? The stunts that these people were able to pull off made no sense to Mary. Mr. Dursley snatched the letter from the owner’s hand. “I’ll take them,” he grumbled and walked off, following her out of the dining room.</p>
<p>“Wouldn’t it be better just to go home, dear?” Aunt Petunia asked, a few hours later, but Uncle Vernon was in his own world. She would occasionally plead with him and he would ignore her. Nobody knew where her uncle thought they were going. He drove out to the middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, and got back into the car. He did the same thing in the middle of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of a multilevel parking garage.</p>
<p>“Daddy’s gone mad, hasn’t he?” Dudley asked Mrs. Dursley. Vernon had left the car and disappeared somewhere.</p>
<p>It started raining. Mary could hear large raindrops beating against the roof of the car. She was about to ask Aunt Petunia who was sending the letters to begin with, but then she remembered her promise. She wasn’t allowed to ask about the letters, so she stopped herself and chose to turn and stare out the window instead.</p>
<p>“It’s Monday,” Dudley whined, “The Great Humberto’s on tonight. I want to stay somewhere with a television.”</p>
<p>It was Monday? If that was true, then that means that tomorrow is Mary’s birthday. The Dursleys never really celebrated her birthday. Last year, Mr. Dursley gave her a handshake for her birthday. There was a part of her that was hoping that this year would be different before Uncle Vernon decided on this mad car trip, but there was little hope now.</p>
<p>The driver’s door suddenly flew open and Uncle Vernon plopped back into the car. He turned to his family with a smile on his face. He was carrying a paper bag and a long, thin package.</p>
<p>“What’s that?” Aunt Petunia asked, pointing at the parcel.</p>
<p>He waved his hand at her and said, “I found the perfect place. Come along, everyone out, now!”</p>
<p>“Vernon,” Petunia started.</p>
<p>Vernon looked at her harshly and she stopped with a sigh. Everyone got out of the car into the harsh, cold wind. The rain came down like icy needles. They followed Uncle Vernon out toward a rocky shore where he pointed out to a tiny island out at sea. Perched atop the island was a tiny shack that looked like it was about to be blown over by the wind.</p>
<p>“Storm forecast for tonight!” Uncle Vernon said with a smile, clapping his hands together. It was almost as if he was delighting in how miserable they were going to be that night. He gestured to a toothless man who was standing near an old rowboat bobbing desperately in the water. “This gentleman has kindly agreed to lend us his boat.” He patted the package in his hand and said, “I already have rations for us. All aboard!”</p>
<p>The storm was much worse once they were in the boat. Not only did they have to deal with the rain and wind, but also the icy waves spraying in their faces. The journey to the shack was long and for a while Mary wasn’t convinced the tiny boat was even moving. By the time they did arrive on the island, they were all shivering and soaked through. Uncle Vernon nearly slipped and fell on his face multiple times walking up to the shack.</p>
<p>The inside didn’t offer much relief. It smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind whistled through the wooden walls, and fireplace was damp and unlit. There was only the main room and a bedroom.</p>
<p>Turned out that Mr. Dursley’s rations were a bag of crisps and a banana for each of them. He tried to start a fire with the crisp bags, but they only smoked and shriveled up. He laughed to himself and said, “Should’ve kept a few of those letters, eh?”</p>
<p>He was the only one in a good mood. Aunt Petunia looked like she was at the edge of sanity herself and Dudley howled about missing another night of his television shows.</p>
<p>As night fell, darkness crept into the shack. Spray from the waves outside crashed against the shack and wind rattled the windows and roared through the walls. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the bedroom and she made up the couch into a bed. Dudley and Mary would have to share, facing opposite directions on the couch. It was not ideal because Dudley was greedy with the blanket and refused to move, taking up as much of the couch as possible. She sighed as she walked off to the bedroom.</p>
<p>Hours crept by slowly. Mary found it difficult to sleep as she was constantly terrified that the shack would blow over any moment. Just when she thought the structure couldn’t take much more, the storm would worsen. Dudley, on the other hand, fell asleep almost immediately. His snores could still be heard over the wind. The light from Dudley’s watch was also keeping her awake. Mary glared at it in the dark it was almost her birthday.</p>
<p>Any minute now, she would be eleven. Mary had been miserable throughout her childhood, but this topped the list. Whoever was writing these letters was probably proud of themselves at this moment. Was this what they wanted to happen? Suddenly, a creak jolted her to alert. Is the place finally coming down around them? Mary finally managed to close her eyes and it felt like exhaustion was finally threatening to take her, but she heard something crunch outside. She sat up and put her glasses back on and squinted at the door. Should she go wake up Uncle Vernon? Suddenly, there was a bang on the door, shaking the entire shack.</p>
<p>There was someone here.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Girl Who Lived</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A mysterious stranger comes to the shack on the rock. It's Hagrid, of course, and he has a bombshell to tell Mary. Things may not go exactly as you remember them.</p>
<p>Also, I would like to point out that I started this fic, of course, due to spite; however, I did this as a healthy outlet for my anger. Instead of sending angry tweets that won't change anything or simply giving up on a fandom I love, I decided to create something with my feelings. I genuinely hope that you are enjoying it. The changes are small toward the beginning, but they'll have far bigger consequences in the future.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Update (3/25/2021): The chapter was updated to reduce the problematic descriptions based on Rowling's original text. Also, many typos were fixed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Another thunderous knock came from the door, waking Dudley up. “Where’s the cannon?” he asked groggily, clearly still not sure if he was still asleep or not.</p>
<p>The door to the bedroom swung open as Uncle Vernon came charging out with a rifle in his hands—that must have been what was in the long package. Mary wasn’t sure what was more dangerous at this moment: the mysterious stranger banging on the door or her uncle who looked like he finally lost the last of his marbles.</p>
<p>“Who’s there?” he shouted. “I warn you—I’m armed!”</p>
<p>There was a pause. Nothing could be heard expect for the wind roaring outside. Suddenly, there was the sound of splintering wood and the thud of hinges being ripped out of the wall. The door flew from the frame and crashed down on the floor. There was a giant silhouette with flashing lightning behind him. As the light faded, Mary realized that the shadow was a large man whose face was nearly completely hidden by a long, bushy beard. Underneath the mass of hair, you could still make out two sparkling eyes.</p>
<p>He squeezed into the hut, which he couldn’t even stand up properly in. Bending down, he picked up the door, and slid it back into place in the door frame. He turned to look over all of them.</p>
<p>“Perhaps I could ask for a cuppa, yeah? It’s not been an easy journey to get all the way out here, you know.”</p>
<p>He walked over to the sofa in a single stride. Dudley was frozen in fear, staring up at the giant.</p>
<p>“Budge up, you great lump,” the man said, pointing away from the sofa.</p>
<p>Dudley squeaked, rolled off the sofa, and ran his mother. Aunt Petunia stood next to Uncle Vernon with more concern than fear on her face. She seemed to be more focused on Mary than the stranger.</p>
<p>The man sat down on the sofa, which gave a defeated squeak as he did. “And here’s Harry—oops, I mean, Mary!” He cleared his throat and said, “I beg your pardon, I don’t get out much.”</p>
<p>Mary saw the man’s eyes crinkle into a smile and she felt a sense of relief wash over her. There was something about him that felt familiar as if she could trust him.</p>
<p>“Last time I saw you, you was only a babe,” the man said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. “Yeah, look a lot like your dad—ah! But you get your mum’s eyes.”</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon stepped forward and sputtered, “I-I demand you leave at once, sir! You are breaking and entering!”</p>
<p>“Ah, shut up, Dursley,” the giant said with exasperation. He leaned back and snatched the gun out of Mr. Dursley’s hands as if he were taking a toy away from a toddler, bent the gun into a knot, and casually tossed it into a corner.</p>
<p>Vernon squeaked with fear and seemed to make a strange jerk to move away but found his feet frozen to the spot.</p>
<p>“Anyway, Mary, a very happy birthday to you.” He smiled and said, “I got something for you here—I might’ve sat on it, but it’ll still taste all right.”</p>
<p>From a pocket inside his coat, he pulled out a slightly squashed box and handed it to Mary. Mary nervously accepted the package and opened it. Inside there was a large cake with chocolate frosting with <em>Happy Birthday Mary</em> written on it in green icing.</p>
<p>Mary was at a loss of words. She had never gotten a birthday cake before, so it was strange receiving her first one from a stranger. Looking back up at him, she asked, “Who… Who are you?”</p>
<p>He just chuckled and hit himself on the forehead. “Oh, where are my manners?” He held out his giant hand and said, “Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts.”</p>
<p>Reaching out to shake Hagrid’s hand, the giant simply seized her entire arm and gave her a gentle shake.</p>
<p>Hagrid clapped his hands together and said, “Now, let’s see about that tea then. I’d not say no to something stronger if you’ve got it, mind.”</p>
<p>The stranger looked down at the fireplace and saw the shriveled-up crisp bags. He snorted, which Mary thought might have been a snicker. Leaning down over the fireplace, the man did something that she couldn’t see. When he sat back on the sofa, there was a pleasantly crackling fire. Suddenly, the hut was filled with the dancing light of the flame. The warmth from the fire was like curling up into a heated blanket after spending hours outside in the winter. It bathed Mary in relief.</p>
<p>Reaching into his coat, Hagrid began pulling items out: a copper kettle, a squashed package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid. He turned to Mr. Dursley and looked at him as he took a swig from the bottle. He gave a smirk as Vernon sighed. Turning back to the fire, the stranger began to prepare the tea. After a few minutes, the shack was filled with the smell of sausages. Nobody said anything while he worked.</p>
<p>Naturally, Mary had many questions she wanted to ask. Was he the one sending the letters? Did he know the person sending the letters? Why were they harassing them? Why was he so big? Nearly all the questions she thought of were related to the letters, which she couldn’t ask about.</p>
<p>While Mary was thinking about this, the sausages had finished, and the stranger was sliding them onto a plate. Dudley licked his lips and made a move toward the plate.</p>
<p>“Don’t touch anything he gives you, Dudley!” Vernon barked.</p>
<p>The man just chuckled and said, “Your great pudding of a son don’t need anymore fattening up, Dursley.” And with that, he handed the plate to Mary.</p>
<p>She looked at the plate and to the Dursleys. Standing up, she walked over to Aunt Petunia, making sure to avoid getting too close to Uncle Vernon. There was some hesitation, but Mary, Petunia, and Dudley shared the sausages together. Vernon refused to eat any.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, the man smiled at Mary’s gesture and said, “I should expect nothing else from the daughter of Lily Potter.”</p>
<p>Mary walked back toward the wild man and said, “You seem to know a lot about me, but… I have no idea who you are.”</p>
<p>Taking a gulp of tea, he said, “Call me Hagrid, everyone does. And like I told you, I’m Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts—you’ll know all about Hogwarts, of course.”</p>
<p>“I… Well…” Mary looked to Aunt Petunia who was shaking her head. “No,” she admitted and looked away from her aunt and back to Hagrid. “But if it’s anything to do with those letters, I promised not to ask about it.”</p>
<p>Hagrid stood up, his face twisting with rage. “Promised not to ask about it?” He pointed at the Dursleys. “What’s all this about, eh?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Aunt Petunia stepped forward and said, “we came to an agreement with Mary. We would love and support her as a girl and she would remain an ordinary girl, as she should be.”</p>
<p>“Ordinary?” Hagrid looked taken aback by the thought. He waved his hand back at Mary and said, “There ain’t nothing ordinary about this here girl.”</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon said under his breath, “Glad someone finally said it.”</p>
<p>“What do you mean I’m not ordinary? Of course, I’m ordinary.” Mary said, not believing what she’s hearing.</p>
<p>Hagrid seemed to take a second to process what Mary had just said and then shook his head incredulously. “What kind of drivel have they’d filled your head with? Mary Potter! The boy—” He winced and looked to Mary and said, “Sorry.” But then he turned back to the Dursleys. “The girl who lived ain’t ordinary!”</p>
<p>“The girl who lived? What are you talking about?”</p>
<p>“Dursley!” the giant roared and marched over to Uncle Vernon. “You’ve at least told her about her parents! That’s the very least you could’ve done.”</p>
<p>“Stop! Please!” Aunt Petunia stood before the giant, looking defiantly up at him. “Don’t you dare, sir. I took her in. I raised her. I accepted her for who she is.”</p>
<p>Hagrid laughed and shook his head. “No, you haven’t.”</p>
<p>There was a moment of silence.</p>
<p>“I beg your pardon?”</p>
<p>“You haven’t accepted nothing.” Hagrid jabbed a finger at Mary. “You took advantage of a young girl. That’s what you did. An agreement? To be herself? All the while, not allowed to be her true self.”</p>
<p>Mary couldn’t take it anymore, she had to ask, “What’s that? What’s my true self?”</p>
<p>Hagrid shrugged and said, “You’re a witch, Mary.”</p>
<p>With that, Aunt Petunia collapsed to the floor and began sobbing.</p>
<p>“A what?” Mary asked, thinking this must be some elaborate joke.</p>
<p>“A witch!” Hagrid said, as if he was speaking like a completely sane person. He walked back to the sofa and sat back down, it once again squeaked desperately. “A thumping good one, I’d say, once you’ve been trained up at Hogwarts. With a mum and dad like yours, what else would you be?” Once again, the giant reached into his coat and then presented Mary with the same letter that has been chasing them all this time. “And, I reckon, it’s about time you read your letter.”</p>
<p>Mary reached out and took the letter from Hagrid. This time, the envelope read: <em>Ms. M. Potter, The Sofa, Hut-on-the-Rock, The Sea. </em>She let out a heavy sigh and figured it would be best to just get it over with. She ripped open the envelope and pulled out the letter:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry</p>
<p>Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dear Ms. Potter,</p>
<p>We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.</p>
<p>Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yours sincerely,</p>
<p>Minerva McGonagall,</p>
<p>Deputy Headmistress</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She could no longer hold it back. All the questions that have been burning in her mind suddenly all flooded out, “What’s with these letters? What’s Hogwarts? Who were my parents? Is this all a trick? A cruel joke to make fun of me? Did the Dursleys put you up to this? What does it mean they’re waiting for an owl?”</p>
<p>Hagrid’s eyes went wide with onslaught of questions, but he did his best to start answering them, “Let’s see… Where to start… Well, the letters are from Hogwarts. Hogwarts is a school to teach people magic. Your parents were James and Lily Potter. They… Well, they died…” He looked away and gave a sniff, his eyes glistening a bit. “I… Well, I… Probably am not the one you should ask about that.” He cleared his throat and continued, “This ain’t a trick and it sure ain’t a joke. This is as real as it gets. The Dursleys wouldn’t know a joke if it farted on them. And… And…” He jumped in his seat and he dug around in his coat. “Almost forgot!” He casually pulled out an owl. A living owl. It looked ruffled and annoyed. He also took out a quill and parchment and began to write:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dear Professor Dumbledore,</p>
<p>Given Mary her letter.</p>
<p>Taking her to buy her things tomorrow.</p>
<p>Weather’s horrible. Hope you’re well.</p>
<p>Hagrid</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He rolled up the note, handed it to the owl, who clamped its beak down on it. Walking over to the door, he slid it back open, and threw the owl out into the storm. Hagrid strolled back over to the sofa and sat back down. “Where was I?”</p>
<p>Suddenly, Uncle Vernon walked forward and said, “He’s not going.”</p>
<p>Hagrid sighed and said, “What happened to that support?”</p>
<p>“That was never my decision. I’ve always utterly disagreed with Harry’s alternative lifestyle. It’s not right and neither is that nonsense you call magic!”</p>
<p>Hagrid stood up, looking down at her uncle. “That’s sounding a mighty too close toward an insult to the greatest wizard who ever lived.” He jabbed his finger down onto Vernon’s chest, who squeaked. “Albus Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts and he just so happens to be a gay man. He’s the best friend I ever had.”</p>
<p>Turning back to look at Aunt Petunia, Vernon said, “You hear that, Petunia? They allow homosexuals to teach at this school. I told you people like them are mad.”</p>
<p>Mary could see the anger in Hagrid’s eyes, but the giant took in a few deep breaths and then said, “Don’t let yourself get carried away now, Hagrid. He’s just a Muggle and he don’t know nothing.”</p>
<p>“What’s a Muggle?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“A Muggle,” Hagrid said, pointing at the Dursleys with his thumb, “is what we call people like them. Non-magic folk. And you were unlucky to end up with the lot of them.”</p>
<p>Vernon, still emboldened from earlier, pointed up at the giant and said, “Enough of this! We swore when we took him in, we would put an end to this nonsense! Stamp it out of him with a bit of tough love! Witch, my eye!”</p>
<p>Mary stepped up to her uncle, something she had never dared to do before. “Wait, you knew? You knew that I was a witch?”</p>
<p>“How could you have been anything else?” Aunt Petunia looked up at Mary with pink eyes, tears still streaming down her cheeks. “You’re just like her, you know. Your mother. Asking questions. Reading books. For a while, I found it endearing.” She looked away, smiling. “It reminded me of a simpler time.” Her face darkened. “But then it came. That letter. Just like it came to you. She went off to that school and left me alone. And every time she would come home for holiday, with frog spawn in her pockets, turning teacups into rats. My parents were so proud of her. But I…” Her knuckles turned white as she gripped her nightgown. “I saw her for what she really was… A freak!”</p>
<p>She looked back to Mary and said, “I meant what I said to you. I can accept you’re a girl. I always wanted a daughter. Wanted another female in the house to bond with, to spend time with, to love.” Her eyebrows furrowed as she continued, “It only got worse when she met that father of yours. They went off to live in some village and never bothered to speak to me anymore. They had you. I knew you’d be the same. Just as strange, unusual…abnormal. And then! Before we even had a chance to make up, she went and got herself blown up!”</p>
<p>Mary could feel the blood drain from her face. The world became very still. She rushed forward to Aunt Petunia and cried, “Blown up? You’ve always told me they died in a car wreck!”</p>
<p>“Car wreck?!” Hagrid roared, making everyone jump with surprise. “How could something like a car wreck kill Lily and James Potter? That’s an outrage! A scandal! Mary Potter not knowing her own story when every kid in our world knows her name—well, her other name.”</p>
<p>“What happened to them?” Mary pleaded.</p>
<p>Hagrid looked surprised by the question. “Like… Like I said before, I’m not really the person to talk to about that.” He sighed and sat down on the sofa and gestured for Mary to sit down next to him, which she did. “But I suppose it ain’t right sending you to Hogwarts without you knowing.”</p>
<p>He looked to the Dursleys and said, “This should’ve been your job.”</p>
<p>Turning back to Mary, he tried his best to put on the gentlest smile he could. “Just so you know, I don’t know everything that happened that night.” He turned and looked into the fire, the flames flickering in his black eyes. “It begins with a person called—I suppose you don’t even know his name. Everyone in our world knows him.”</p>
<p>“Knows who?”</p>
<p>“Well—I honestly don’t like saying the name if I can help it. No one does.”</p>
<p>“How come?”</p>
<p>He slapped his knee and said, “Gulping gargoyles! Mary, people are still scared of him. Blimey… I was not expecting to say this…” He looked down at Mary and continued, “See, there was this wizard who went bad… As bad as anyone could go. Worse than you can even imagine. His name was…”</p>
<p>Hagrid gulped and closed his eyes. He made a fist and beat it against his knee.</p>
<p>“Would writing it help?”</p>
<p>He shook his head and said, “Nah, I can’t spell it.” He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes tightly before he spat out, “Voldemort.” Hagrid shuddered and smacked his mouth as if he just ate something horrid. He looked down at Mary. “Please, never make me say it again. Anyway, this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started looking for followers. Got them too—some were afraid, some just wanted a bit of his power, ‘cause he was getting himself power, all right. Dark days, Mary. Didn’t know who to trust, didn’t dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches…terrible things happened. He was taking over. ‘Course, some stood up to him—and he killed them. Horribly. One of the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore’s the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn’t dare try taking the school—not just then, anyway.</p>
<p>“Now, your mum and dad were as good a witch and wizard as I ever knew. Head boy and girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the mystery is why You-Know-Who never tried to get them on his side before—probably knew they were too close to Dumbledore to want anything to do with him.</p>
<p>“Maybe he thought he could persuade them… Maybe he just wanted them out of the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old. He came to your house and… Well, he…”</p>
<p>Hagrid procured a dirty handkerchief from his pocket and blew his nose. “Sorry,” he said, “But it’s that sad—knew your mum and dad, and nicer people you couldn’t find. A-anyway, You-Know-Who killed them. And then—and this is the real mystery of the thing—he tried to kill you too. Wanted to make a clean job of it, I suppose. Ever wonder how you got that scar on your forehead?”</p>
<p>Mary’s brows lowered with confusion and then she rubbed it cautiously. It seemed to be aching.</p>
<p>“That ain’t no ordinary cut. That’s what you get when a powerful, evil curse touches you—took care of your mum and dad and your house, even—but it didn’t work on you, and that’s why you’re famous, Mary. No one ever lived after he decided to kill them, no one except you, and he’d killed some of the best witches and wizards of the age—the McKinnons, the Bones, the Prewetts—and you was only a baby, and you lived.”</p>
<p>Mary’s head was throbbing by the end of Hagrid’s story. A flash of green appeared once again in her mind. This time, much more clearly and vividly. Almost like she was there. And just as the flash faded, she heard something: a cruel laugh.</p>
<p>Looking down at Mary sadly, Hagrid said, “Took you from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore’s orders. Brought you to this lot…” He gestured with his hand to the Dursleys.</p>
<p>“What a load of tosh,” said Uncle Vernon, spitting at Hagrid’s feet. He was glowering at Hagrid. His fists were clenched at his sides. His eyes slid to Mary and he said, “Listen here, boy. You’re strange. Of course, you are! Look at you! Dressed in a nightgown! I’ve been saying this for years. The only thing that will cure you is a good beating! As for your parents, they got what they deserved. Cahooting with these people pretending to be wizards—they’re all mad, so of course some of them are murders and criminals.”</p>
<p>Hagrid stood up and brandished a pink umbrella. He pointed at the man and said, “I think you’ve said more than enough for one night, you great whale.”</p>
<p>Just when Mary thought that Vernon had been pushed so far that he couldn’t back down, he did. He shrank back a few steps away from the giant, flattening himself against the wall.</p>
<p>“That’s better, just stay over there,” Hagrid said and sat back down on the sofa. There was a startling crack when he sat down this time, but Hagrid ignored it.</p>
<p>“What happed to Vol—I mean, You-Know-Who?”</p>
<p>“Now ain’t that the question, Mary,” Hagrid said with a shrug. “He disappeared. No one knows where he went. Same night he tried to kill you. Makes you even more famous. That’s the biggest mystery of all, see. He kept getting more and more powerful—why would he go?</p>
<p>“Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he’s still out there, biding his time. But I don’t much believe it. People who was on his side came back to ours. Some of them came out of these trances. Don’t reckon they could’ve done that if he was still out there.</p>
<p>“Most people seem to think he’s still out there, but he lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. ‘Cause something about you finished him, Mary. There was something going on that night he hadn’t counted on—I dunno what it was, no one does—but something about you stumped him, all right.”</p>
<p>Hagrid looked down at Mary with a smile. She felt strange. There’s no way she was a witch. Magic wasn’t real. Also, if she had magic, why could Dudley bully her so easily? Why was she so easily intimidated by Uncle Vernon? Why couldn’t she tell that Aunt Petunia had been lying to her? Most of all, why couldn’t she just force her body to change how she wanted it to be? Look however she wanted? How could something as simple as cupboard be enough to stop her?</p>
<p>“Hagrid,” Mary started gently, “I think everyone has the wrong idea. There’s no way I could be a witch.”</p>
<p>Surprisingly, Hagrid just chuckled and said, “Not a witch, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or angry?”</p>
<p>Mary remembered how her hair would always grow back whenever Aunt Petunia cut it, how she ended up on the roof, the disappearing glass at the zoo…</p>
<p>The shocked look at her face must have given her away because Hagrid was beaming at her. “See? Mary Potter, not a witch—my eye. Just you wait, you’ll be right famous at Hogwarts.”</p>
<p>“Haven’t you been paying attention?” Aunt Petunia had stood up and approached Hagrid. Surprisingly, she was speaking calmly. “She’s not going anywhere, except home with us. I already bought her a brand-new female school uniform for Stonewall High. That’s where she will be studying. She will become something practical and work at a normal job and maybe even one day get married.” She said this with a smile.</p>
<p>“That sounds…boring. Responsible, I suppose, but boring.” Hagrid shook his head. “No, no, no. Mary’s been accepted to Hogwarts since the day she was born. She should be around youngsters like herself. She’ll be lucky too. Learning under the greatest headmaster, Albus—”</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon started to scream, “I am not paying for some flaming fa—”</p>
<p>“Vernon!” Petunia yelled, cutting him off.</p>
<p>Hagrid glared at Vernon for a moment before looking back to Petunia. “Look, you seem to be the only one here who seems to care a little bit about Mary here. It’s all well and good to have plans for the future, but have you tried asking her what she wants?”</p>
<p>There was clear conflict on Aunt Petunia’s face. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped. She took a moment to think. Mary had never seen Petunia so conflicted about something before. Her face went from sadness to disgust and then finally it softened when she looked at Mary. Walking over to the young girl, she knelt and looked her in the eye. “I can’t help it, Mary. You know that. I know I want you to stay with me. Your uncle is stubborn, but I’m sure with time he’ll see you the way I do.” She sighed and said, “I’m sorry about the things I said earlier… Those were a lot of feelings that I’ve been burying for years and you don’t deserve to be the target of them. Will you forgive me?”</p>
<p>“I… I do,” Mary said.</p>
<p>Aunt Petunia smiled and hugged her. “You really want to go, don’t you?”</p>
<p>She took a moment to think about it and said, “I do… Can I?”</p>
<p>For a second, Mary could feel Petunia’s hand clench on her back but then they relaxed. Aunt Petunia stood up tall and said, “Under one condition.”</p>
<p>“What’s that?” Mary asked, fear gripping her heart.</p>
<p>Her aunt’s lower lip quivered a bit before she said, “You come home for Christmas and we have a girl’s day on your holiday.”</p>
<p>Mary gave a bright smile and nodded. “Of course!”</p>
<p>“You’re mad, Petunia!” Vernon screamed.</p>
<p>“You’re one to talk.”</p>
<p>“Well,” Hagrid said, shattering the awkward silence, “getting late and me and the kid have a lot to do tomorrow. How’s about we all have a kip?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Master of the Wand</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hagrid takes Mary to Diagon Alley where she discovers a few startling things about herself and meets a strange boy.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Update (3/25/2021): The chapter was updated to reduce the problematic descriptions based on Rowling's original text. Also, many typos were fixed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mary woke up the next morning thinking that the events of last night must have been a dream. There was no way that something so bizarre had happened to her. There was no way she could be a witch. The smell of dank seaweed and the uncomfortable couch she was lying on, though, were telling her a different story. Suddenly, a sharp tapping on glass made her open her eyes. Sitting up, Mary found her glasses on the floor next to the couch and put them on. Sitting against a corner of the room asleep was Hagrid. Dudley was no longer on the couch. Maybe he had gotten too scared of the sleeping giant in the night that he crept into the bedroom with his parents.</p>
<p>Another tapping on the glass finally got Mary to her feet. Confused, she walked toward the window. She noticed that the owl had a newspaper clutched in its mouth. Mary hesitated before opening the window. The owl swooped into the room and dropped the newspaper straight onto Hagrid’s head.</p>
<p>He woke up with a start. “Hey, that ain’t fair! You don’t know him like I…” The giant looked around and then noticed the newspaper on his head. The owl started nibbling on his hand. “Suppose you want to be paid.” He chuckled and reached into his coat and pulled out five bronze coins and dropped them into a leather pouch attached to the owl’s leg. The owl gave a few trots before springing back into the air and flying out the open window.</p>
<p>Hagrid stood up, yawning loudly and stretching, stuffing the newspaper in his coat. Mary wondered how wo many things could fit into one coat. Surely, pockets had their limits.</p>
<p>“Morning there, Mary,” Hagrid said. “We best be off. Lots to do today. We’ll be off to London to buy all your stuff for school.”</p>
<p>Mary looked up at the man and said, “But I haven’t any money, Hagrid. Uncle Vernon won’t pay for anything, you heard him. Even if Aunt Petunia supports me, he doesn’t.”</p>
<p>“Ah, don’t worry about that,” Hagrid said, smiling down at her. “Did you think your parents would leave you with nothing?”</p>
<p>“But you said their house was destroyed.”</p>
<p>“They didn’t keep their gold in the house. Nah, first stop for us is Gringotts. Wizards’ bank.”</p>
<p>“Wizards have banks?”</p>
<p>“Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins.”</p>
<p>“Goblins?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, so you’d be mad to try and rob it, I’ll tell you that. Never mess with goblins, Mary. Gringotts is the safest place in the word fer anything you want to keep safe—except Hogwarts, of course. As a matter of fact, I gotta visit Gringotts, anyway. Hogwarts business.” Hagrid tried to stand up extra tall, but accidentally hit his head on the ceiling. “A-Anyway, Dumbledore usually gets me to do these kind of important things fer him. Fetching you. Getting things from Gringotts. Knows he can trust me.” He cleared his throat and said, “We should get going.”</p>
<p>As anxious as Mary was to get off this miserable rock, she knew she couldn’t just leave like this. “Just one moment,” she said and walked over to the bedroom door. She jumped as the bedroom door suddenly opened. Aunt Petunia stepped out and closed the door behind her. “Aunt Petunia, I didn’t know you were awake.”</p>
<p>“I found it hard to sleep after last night,” her aunt said. Her eyes looked red and there were bags under her eyes. “Heading out?”</p>
<p>Mary nodded and said, “Hagrid said we should get going, since we have a lot to do.” She paused for a moment and then asked, “Would you like to come with?”</p>
<p>Surprisingly, Petunia looked like she was taking a moment to actually consider the offer but she slowly shook her head. “Oh, no… No… Me and that world. His world.” She waved her hand at Hagrid. “I’m not so sure we’ll ever get along… Besides, your uncle is already furious enough at me. If he found out I went with you to somewhere like that…” She trailed off before continuing, “Well, let’s just say things wouldn’t end up well for anyone.”</p>
<p>Frowning, Mary wasn’t sure what her aunt meant but it didn’t sound good for Aunt Petunia in particular. Then Mary remembered Uncle Vernon striking Dudley and looked up at her aunt. Surely, Uncle Vernon would never do that to her, right?</p>
<p>“Mary, we gotta get going,” Hagrid said.</p>
<p>Aunt Petunia smiled down at Mary and straightened out her hair. “Don’t forget to brush your hair, dear. You have such lovely, wavy hair.”</p>
<p>Mary smiled back up to her aunt and then ran over to the couch and picked up her backpack from the floor. She joined Hagrid by the door, looked back at Aunt Petunia, who waved, and she waved back. Hagrid leaned down and walked through the door and Mary followed him out.</p>
<p>Outside, the sun was finally out and dancing across the waves of the sea. The boat that Uncle Vernon had rented was still there, half-filled with water. Mary looked around and couldn’t find another boat.</p>
<p>“Wait, how did you get here?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“Flew,” Hagrid said nonchalantly.</p>
<p>“Flew? How? Can I do that? When can I learn?”</p>
<p>Hagrid, once again, looked overwhelmed by the questions. “First, yes, I flew. Strictly speaking, I can’t do it again. We’ll have to use this.” He gestured down at the waterlogged boat. “I imagine you’ll learn all about that at Hogwarts.” They sat down in the rowboat and Hagrid sighed. “Seems a shame to row, though,” Hagrid said, giving Mary a sideways look. “Now, don’t tell no one about this, now. I’m not supposed to do magic, you see.”</p>
<p>“Why can’t you do magic?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“Well, you see, a long time ago… I was… Well, I was expelled from Hogwarts, but Dumbledore—the great man he is—allowed me to stay on as the groundskeeper.”</p>
<p>“Expelled? Why?”</p>
<p>Hagrid dropped his head for a moment and then shook it. “It’s in the past. Best it stays there.”</p>
<p>With that, he pulled out his pink umbrella, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land. Mary was amazed, she let out a whoop of joy as the spray of the sea rushed up. Unlike the night before, she didn’t mind getting a little wet. After a moment, she turned to Hagrid and asked, “How come you would be mad to steal from Gringotts?”</p>
<p>“Spells… Enchantments,” Hagrid said, smiling down at her as he opened his newspaper. He seemed to be enjoying watching her reactions to magic. “They say there’s dragons guarding the high-security vaults—what I wouldn’t give to get a look at one of them beauties. Also, gotta find your way—Gringotts is hundreds of miles under London, see. Deep under the Underground. You’d die of hunger trying to get out, even if you did manage to get your hands on something.”</p>
<p>Mary sat and thought about dragons wandering the caves of an underground labyrinth; meanwhile, Hagrid read his newspaper, <em>The Daily Prophet</em>. Mary did her best to remain quiet. If she had learned anything from Uncle Vernon, it was that people wanted to be left alone when they were reading a newspaper. Mary had so many questions. She anxiously shifted in her seat, watching the shore draw closer.</p>
<p>“Ministry of Magic messing things up, as usual,” Hagrid muttered, turning the page.</p>
<p>“Ministry of Magic? There’s a Ministry of Magic?” Mary jumped at the chance to finally say something.</p>
<p>“’Course,” Hagrid said. “They wanted Dumbledore for Minister, of course, but he’d never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job.” He chortled as he rolled his eyes. “Bungler if there ever was one, that one. He pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, asking for advice.”</p>
<p>“What does the Ministry of Magic do?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“Well, there main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there’s still witches and wizards everywhere.”</p>
<p>“Why? Wouldn’t it be better to work with everyone?”</p>
<p>“Except it wouldn’t be everyone working together, now would it? Them Muggles would be wanting magic to solve all their problems.” He shook his head and said, “Nah, we’re better off being left alone.”</p>
<p>Mary wasn’t sure if this was true, but Hagrid was the adult not her. At that moment, she felt something gently bump the boat and noticed that they were against the harbor wall. Hagrid folded his newspaper and they climbed out of the boat.</p>
<p>The giant was about to leave when Mary asked, “What about the Dursleys?”</p>
<p>“Ah, the man will go check up on them, eventually. They’ll be fine. Besides, I can’t use anymore magic or I’ll be found out. Sorry.” He shrugged in a way that made her think that he wasn’t actually sorry.</p>
<p>The two of them climbed the steps onto the street. Passersby started at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Hagrid didn’t seem to notice or he was simply used to the attention. To be fair, Mary did her share of staring when she first met him too. Hagrid was twice as tall as the tallest person in this village and he kept drawing attention to himself by pointing out ordinary things like parking meters and saying, “See that, Mary? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?”</p>
<p>“Hagrid,” Mary said, jogging to keep up with the strides of the giant, “did you say there are dragons at Gringotts?”</p>
<p>“Well, so they say,” Hagrid said, looking off dreamily. “Crikey, I’d like a dragon.”</p>
<p>“You’d like one? As a pet? Is that allowed?”</p>
<p>Hagrid sighed and said, “Wanted one ever since I was a kid—and no. No, not at all. Trust me, I’ve looked into it many times. Many, many times.” He pointed in front of them. “Ah, here we are.”</p>
<p>They found the station. There was a train to London leaving in three minutes’ time. Hagrid, who didn’t understand “Muggle money,” as he called it, gave the notes to Mary so she could buy their tickets.</p>
<p>People stared even more on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary yellow circus tent.</p>
<p>Mary had to ask Hagrid something, but it was awkward. She frowned and put her hands under her thighs and asked, “Hagrid, last night you said everyone knew me.”</p>
<p>“That’s right. Everyone has heard of you.”</p>
<p>“That means everyone knows I was born a boy.”</p>
<p>Hagrid’s face fell. He clearly hadn’t thought of that. “Well… I… Well, I suppose so.”</p>
<p>Mary had hoped that going to Hogwarts would be her chance to escape the past, but in some ways it made it much worse. Everyone was going to know she was a girly boy.</p>
<p>Hagrid cleared his throat and was clearly trying to figure out a way to change the subject. He leaned over and asked, “Still got your letter?”</p>
<p>Mary unzipped her backpack and pulled out the envelope.</p>
<p>“Good, there’s a list of everything you need.”</p>
<p>So much had happened the night before that she didn’t even noticed there was a paper attached to the letter. She read it quietly while Hagrid knitted:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Uniform</p>
<p>First-year students will require:</p>
<ol>
<li>Three sets of plain work robes (black)</li>
<li>One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear</li>
<li>One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)</li>
<li>One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)</li>
</ol>
<p>Please note that all pupils’ clothes should carry name tags</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Course Books</p>
<p>All students should have a copy of each of the following:</p>
<p><em>The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)</em> by Miranda Goshawk</p>
<p><em>A History of Magic</em> by Bathilda Bagshot</p>
<p><em>Magical Theory </em>by Adalbert Waffling</p>
<p><em>A Beginners’ Guide to Transfiguration</em> by Emeric Switch</p>
<p><em>Magical Draughts and Potions</em> by Arsenius Jigger</p>
<p><em>Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them</em> by Newt Scamander</p>
<p><em>The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection</em> by Quentin Trimble</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Other Equipment</p>
<p>1 wand</p>
<p>1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)</p>
<p>1 set glass of crystal phials</p>
<p>1 telescope</p>
<p>1 set brass scales</p>
<p>Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad</p>
<p>Parents are reminded that first years are not allowed their own broomsticks</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“We can’t get any of this at London. They only have Muggle shops there.” Mary said.</p>
<p>Hagrid gave a chuckle and said, “Oh, sure you can. You just need to know where to go.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mary had never been to London before, although she was certain it would be difficult to hide magic around so many people. Everyone was bustling and eager to be somewhere. Thankfully, Hagrid seemed to know where he was going; however, he didn’t seem used to getting there through mundane means. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground and complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains were too slow.</p>
<p>“I don’t know how Muggles deal without magic,” he said as they climbed up a broken escalator that led up to a busy road lined with shops.</p>
<p>Hagrid was so large that he parted the crowd easily as he walked; Mary kept close to him. If she didn’t, she would have easily been taken away by the crowd. They passed book shops and music stores, fast food restaurants, and theaters. None of these places looked like they sold anything to do with magic. This was just an ordinary street filled with normal people. Were there really shops that sold spell books and broomsticks? Part of her still wondered if this was a joke, but that part of her was drowned out by the excitement racing through her mind.</p>
<p>“We’re here,” Hagrid said, stopping in front of a grubby-looking pub. He was looking at the pub as if it was a dear, old friend. “The Leaky Cauldron. It’s famous.”</p>
<p>Honestly, if Hagrid hadn’t pointed it out, Mary would have walked right passed it. The people hurrying by didn’t seem to notice it, either. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn’t see it at all. In fact, Mary thought they couldn’t. Hagrid gently guided her inside.</p>
<p>For a famous place, it was dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was bald and toothless. The buzz in the place went silent as they walked in. Everyone turned and greeted Hagrid with a smile and a wave. The bartender reached for a glass and said, “The usual, Hagrid?”</p>
<p>“Can’t, Tom, I’m on Hogwarts business,” Hagrid said, clapping his hand on Mary’s shoulder.</p>
<p>The bartender looked down at Mary and asked, “And who might this be?”</p>
<p>“This is my friend Mary. She needs to get her things for school.” He leaned over to Tom and whispered, “Mary Potter.”</p>
<p>“Did you say Potter?” the bartender asked loudly, everyone turned to look at him and then Hagrid and then Mary. Tom blinked down at Mart and then saw a hint of her scar beneath her fringe. “Bless my soul… Harry Potter.”</p>
<p>Hagrid hurried to correct him. “Mary. Mary Potter.”</p>
<p>The bartender looked at Hagrid and back to Mary. He walked around the bar and kneeled before Mary. “Now, I’m not one to judge. Seen all sorts come through here, including people just like you.” There were other girls like her? He grabbed Mary’s hand and shook it. “Welcome back, Ms. Potter. Welcome back!”</p>
<p>Mary stood there in shock, not sure what to say. Everyone in the pub was looking at her. The old woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out. Hagrid was beaming. Suddenly, Mary found herself surrounded and shaking heads with everyone.</p>
<p>“Doris Crockfod, Ms. Potter. I can’t believe I’m meeting you!”</p>
<p>“I’m so proud. So proud, Ms. Potter.”</p>
<p>“Always wanted to meet you and shake your hand. Oh, I’m all a flutter.”</p>
<p>“Delighted, Ms. Potter. Diggle’s the name, Dedalus Diggle.”</p>
<p>A pale young man approached, shaking with anxiety. One of his eyes was twitching.</p>
<p>“Professor Quirrell!” Hagrid said. He gestured at the nervous man and said, “Mary, this is one of your teachers at Hogwarts. Go on.”</p>
<p>“P-Potter,” Professor Quirrell said, grasping Mary’s hand with a gloved hand, “p-pleased to meet you.”</p>
<p>“What do you teach?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“D-Defense Against the D-Dark Arts,” Quirrell said, the blood drained from his face as he said it. “N-Not that you n-need it, eh, P-Potter?” He laughed nervously. He seemed to be constantly looking out the corner of his eye as if someone behind him was watching him. “You’ll be g-getting all of your equipment, I suppose? I’ve g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vamp…vampires, m-myself.” He looked like he wanted nothing to do with vampires.</p>
<p>“Must get on—lots to buy. C’mon, Mary.”</p>
<p>Hagrid led Mary through the pub, out a door, and into a small walled courtyard, where there was nothing but a trash bin and a few weeds. He smiled at Mary.</p>
<p>“Told you. You’re famous. Even Professor Quirrell was trembling to meet yeh—mind, he’s always trembling.”</p>
<p>“They really did know me… They seemed rather nice about accepting me.”</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah. Don’t yeh worry about that. There have been plenty of witches and wizards across the ages that were just like you. Magic sorted them out and I’m sure it’ll be the same for you.”</p>
<p>“There’s magic for people like me?” Honestly, this was the first time Mary had even heard that there were people like her. Let alone there was something to do about it.</p>
<p>Hagrid waved his hand and said, “There’s magic for everything—well, nearly, anyway.” He put his hand on Mary’s shoulder and said, “You’ll hear more about that at Hogwarts.”</p>
<p>With that, he turned to face a wall. “Three up, two across,” he muttered. “Right, stand back, Mary.”</p>
<p>He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella. The brick he had touched quivered. Suddenly, a hole appeared and grew wider, and a second later they were facing an archway large enough for even Hagrid. Before them was a cobblestone street that twisted and turned out of sight.</p>
<p>“Welcome to Diagon Alley.”</p>
<p>Grinning while watching Mary’s face glow with amazement, Hagrid led her through the archway. As soon as they had walked through, a brick wall appeared. When Mary turned back, the sun glinted off the top of a stack of cauldrons outside of a nearby shop, catching her attention.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you’ll be needing one,” Hagrid said, “but we need to get your money first.”</p>
<p>Mary was looking everywhere she could. She wished she could stop and look at everything, but Hagrid kept a steady pace down the street. Even the people here looked amazing, dressed in robes and strange-looking hats. A plump woman outside an apothecary was shaking her head as they passed. “Dragon liver, sixteen Sickles an once. Sixteen! They’re mad…”</p>
<p>A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying <em>Eeylops Owl Emporium: Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy</em>. Several boys that looked about Mary’s age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. “Look,” one of the boys said, “it’s the new Nimbus Two Thousand—fastest ever!” There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Mary had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels’ eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon…</p>
<p>“Gringotts,” Hagrid said simply, shattering Mary’s wonder.</p>
<p>A towering marble building stood before them, dwarfing the nearby shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold was a small creature with a large, pointy nose, beaty eyes, long fingers and feet, and sharp features.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s a goblin,” Hagrid whispered to Mary.</p>
<p>They approached him, up the stairs of the bank. The goblin was about a head shorter than Mary. His small eyes sparked with intelligence. He bowed as they walked through the doors. They were greeted with silver doors with an engraving:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Enter, stranger, but take heed</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Of what awaits the sin of greed,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>For those who take, but do not earn,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Must pay most dearly in their turn.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>So if you seek beneath our floors,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A treasure that was never yours,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Thief, you have been warned, beware</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Of finding more than treasure there.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Like I said, you’d be mad to try and rob it,” Hagrid said.</p>
<p>A pair of goblins bowed to them as they walked through the silver doors and found themselves in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through glasses. There were too many doors to count and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of them. Hagrid and Mary made for the counter.</p>
<p>“Morning,” Hagrid said to a free goblin. “We’ve come to take some money outta Ms. Mary Potter’s safe.”</p>
<p>The goblin looked down at his book and said, “I have no record of a Ms. Mary Potter.”</p>
<p>Hagrid winced and leaned forward and said, “Her birth name is Harry. Harry Potter.”</p>
<p>The little creature gave Mary a stern look and then he looked back to Hagrid. “You have the key?”</p>
<p>“Got it here somewhere,” Hagrid said, and he started emptying his pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits over the goblin’s book of number. The goblin curled his lip in disgust. “Got it,” Hagrid said, pulling out a tiny golden key.</p>
<p>The goblin looked at it closely for a moment before he said, “Seems to be in order.”</p>
<p>“And I also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore,” Hagrid leaned forward, whispering. “It’s about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen.”</p>
<p>Hagrid held out the letter and the goblin took it from him. He took a moment to read it. “Very well,” he finally said, handing the letter back to Hagrid. “I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!”</p>
<p>A goblin seemed to appear almost out of nowhere. Once Hagrid had stuffed all the dog biscuits back into his pockets, they followed Griphook toward one of the doors lining the walls of the hall.</p>
<p>“What’s the You-Know-What?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“Can’t tell you that,” Hagrid said in a hushed tone. “Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore’s trusted me. More than my job’s worth to tell you that.”</p>
<p>Griphook held the door open for them. Mary was surprised to see a narrow stone passageway lit by torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came rushing toward them. Grip and Mary climbed in; Hagrid had some trouble finding the right angle, but he eventually squeezed in. Suddenly, they burst off, hurtling through twisting passages, occasionally veering off in a seemingly random direction. The cart seemed to know where it was going because Griphook wasn’t controlling it.</p>
<p>Mary found it difficult to keep her eyes open. She saw a flash out of the corner of her eye, but she couldn’t tell what caused it. They passed an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor. Mary turned to Hagrid to see him looking green and he had his hand over his mouth. The cart stopped with a lurch and Hagrid stumbled out immediately. He found a wall to lean against. As Mary slid out of the cart, she noticed the giant’s knees shaking.</p>
<p>Griphook, ignoring Hagrid’s discomfort, walked up to the door and unlocked it. Green smoke came billowing out. When it cleared, Mary could see mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver. Heaps of little bronze coins.</p>
<p>“All yours,” Hagrid said, stumbling over to the vault.</p>
<p>Was this really hers? Why hadn’t she known about this? The Dursleys must not know about it. If they had, she doubted it would still be here. Uncle Vernon would have seen to it. All this time, they had to feed Mary half the food Dudley got because it would be too expensive to feed them both the same amount—at least, that’s what she was told. It would be too expensive to send her to a therapist. All the while, she had a small fortune underneath London.</p>
<p>Hagrid helped Mary pile some of it into her backpack.</p>
<p>“The gold ones are Galleons,” Hagrid said, picking one up and showing her before tossing it into her bag. “Seventeen Sickles to a Galleon.” He showed her one of the silver coins. “Twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle.” And he held up a bronze coin. “Easy enough, right?” Mary didn’t think it made much sense, honestly. Such an odd money system. Hagrid stood up and nodded. “That should be enough for a couple of terms. They’ll keep the rest safe for you.” Turning to Griphook, he said, “Vault seven hundred and thirteen now, please, and can we go more slowly?”</p>
<p>“One speed only,” Griphook said flatly.</p>
<p>They all piled back into the cart and took off once again. They were going even deeper than before, picking up speed. The air became colder and danker as they swung around tight corners and rocketing over a ravine. Once again, the cart stopped with a sudden lurch, making Hagrid gulp. They got out to find this vault didn’t have a keyhole.</p>
<p>“Stand back,” Griphook demanded. He stroked the door with his long pointer finger, and it melted away.</p>
<p>“If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they’d be sucked through the door and trapped in there,” the goblin said with a rather nasty grin.</p>
<p>“How often do you check to see if anyone is in there?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“Once every ten years.”</p>
<p>Something extraordinary had to be in that vault. Mary leaned in to peek inside the vault, expecting it to be stuffed to the brim with treasure. Instead, it was all but empty, except for a lone package wrapped up in brown paper lying on the floor. Hagrid cautiously approached the object, picked it up, and tucked it into his coat.</p>
<p>“What—” Mary began to ask but was silenced by Hagrid holding up his hand.</p>
<p>“Now, this is important, Mary. You can’t tell anyone you were here, understand?”</p>
<p>She nodded.</p>
<p>They once again walked toward the cart.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Mary squinted into the bright sunlight as they walked out of Gringotts. Mary didn’t know where to go first. She never had this much money before—well, she at least assumed it was a lot of money. Seemed like it was.</p>
<p>“Might as well get your uniform,” Hagrid said, nodding toward Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions. “Listen, Mary, would you mind if I slipped off for a pick-me-up at the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts.” He did still look a bit green, so Mary nodded. She looked up at the shop and sighed. Nervously, she walked up to the door and entered.</p>
<p>Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve. As Mary walked in, she held out her hands and asked, “Hogwarts, deary?” She didn’t wait for her to answer before she continued, “Been getting a lot in today. There’s even a boy being fitted right now, in fact.”</p>
<p>In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long, black robes. His platinum blond hair was slicked back. Madam Malkin stood Mary on a stool next to him, slipped a long robe over her head and began pinning it to the right length.</p>
<p>“Oh, hey,” the boy said. “Um, are you going to Hogwarts too?” He seemed nervous for some reason.</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Mary said.</p>
<p>“Um, my parents are getting my stuff right now… Stuck here. Boring, right?”</p>
<p>“I suppose but buying new clothes can sometimes be fun.”</p>
<p>“Maybe for girls,” he said. There was a pause before he continued, “I can’t wait to take a look at the brooms. My father will smuggle one in for me. Maybe you could come watch me try it out sometime?”</p>
<p>Something strange was happening, but Mary wasn’t sure what it was.</p>
<p>Madam Malkin suddenly giggled and said, “Oh, you two are so adorable!”</p>
<p>The wind was immediately taken out of the boy’s sails. Another awkward silence followed before her said, “I’m going to end up on my House’s quidditch team, just you watch.”</p>
<p>Mary wasn’t sure what quidditch was, either. This boy was saying and doing things that were completely foreign to her.</p>
<p>“Know what House you’re going to be in yet?” the boy asked.</p>
<p>“No,” Mary said. What was a House, anyway? She wanted to ask but got the distinct feeling that the boy would think she was stupid.</p>
<p>The boy shrugged and said, “Well, I suppose nobody really knows until they get there, do they? But I know I’ll be in Slytherin, all our family have been—imagine being a Hufflepuff, I think I’d leave, wouldn’t you?”</p>
<p>He was still speaking English, right? It sounded like he was, but his words weren’t making any sense. She didn’t know what to say, but thankfully the boy spoke again before she had to. “I say, look at that man!”</p>
<p>Mary followed his eyes to the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Mary, holding up two ice creams. “That’s Hagrid,” she said, surprised that he didn’t already know him. “He works at Hogwarts.”</p>
<p>“Oh, I’ve heard of him. Some sort of servant.”</p>
<p>“He’s the gamekeeper,” Mary said, the boy’s attitude was starting to become annoying.</p>
<p>“Yes, that’s right. I heard he’s some kind of savage. Lives in a hut, setting his bed on fire pretending to be a wizard.”</p>
<p>“I think you should talk to him sometime; he might surprise you,” Mary said with a smile.</p>
<p>He awkwardly smiled back and shrugged. “Well, I’m not sure…” He cleared his throat and asked, “Is he with you? Where are your parents.”</p>
<p>“They… Well, they passed away when I was a baby.”</p>
<p>“Oh, sorry to hear that.” He paused for a moment and then asked, “They were our kind, right?”</p>
<p>“They were a witch and a wizard… Is that what you mean?”</p>
<p>He gave a smirk and nodded. “Good. I don’t think they should let the other sort in, do you? They’re just not the same. They weren’t brought up in our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts before receiving their letter—can you imagine? They should just keep the old wizarding families.”</p>
<p>Mary frowned. She wanted to tell this boy off, but is this how everyone thought? She really didn’t want to be an outcast at this school, like she had been at every other school she had been, so she chose to remain silent.</p>
<p>“What’s your—” Before the boy could finish, Madam Malkin said, “That’s it. You’re done, deary!”</p>
<p>Mary, eager to leave, hopped down from the stool.</p>
<p>“See you at Hogwarts, I guess,” the boy said.</p>
<p>Mary paid Madam Malkin and left the store with a few bags filled with her new school uniform. Hagrid led her over to a place to sit and they sat there in silence while they ate their ice creams.</p>
<p>Hagrid squinted at her and asked, “Something wrong?”</p>
<p>“Are all witches and wizards hateful toward people who grew up with Muggles?”</p>
<p>“Oh, no,” Hagrid said, “most aren’t, but I won’t lie to you, some are.”</p>
<p>“There was this boy in the shop. He talked about how people who were raised by Muggles should be kept out of the school.”</p>
<p>“You aren’t from a Muggle family—well, you were raised by the Dursleys—you know what I mean. If that boy knew who you were—he’s grown up knowing your name—other name… You know what I mean. You saw what everyone was like in the Leaky Cauldron. Anyway, what does he know? Some of the best witches and wizards were Muggle-born. Look at your mum!”</p>
<p>“What’s Slytherin and Hufflepuff?”</p>
<p>“School Houses. There’s four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot of duffers, but Syltherin…” His eyebrows disappeared into his hair. “There’s not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin. You-Know-Who was one.”</p>
<p>“Vol—sorry. You-Know-Who went to Hogwarts?”</p>
<p>“Years and years ago,” Hagrid said.</p>
<p>“What are the other Houses?”</p>
<p>“Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. You’ll find out more about them when you go to the school.”</p>
<p>After finishing their ice cream, they went to buy Mary’s books at a store called Flourish and Blotts, where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather. And on the extreme end on the other side, books as small as postage stamps. There were so many books that Hagrid had difficulty pulling her away to finish the rest of her shopping. She did manage to get away with getting one book. Since she had so many questions about it, she decided to get <em>Hogwarts, A History</em>.</p>
<p>The books were heavy, but thankfully Hagrid was willing to carry them for Mary. As they left the store, Mary said, “I can’t wait to go home and start reading these books and trying out magic.”</p>
<p>“Now, you can’t do magic in the Muggle world,” Hagrid said.</p>
<p>“Why not? How am I supposed to learn?”</p>
<p>“Because what if something goes wrong? You think Mrs. Dursley can help you stop vomiting slugs?”</p>
<p>“That can happen?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, it can.”</p>
<p>Mary was disappointed, but she did think it made sense.</p>
<p>After that, they picked up her pewter cauldron, scales, and a telescope. Then they made their way to the apothecary, which had the most interesting aroma Mary had ever smelled. Her eyes squinted and her nose wrinkled. It was like a mixture of bad eggs and rotten cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Mary, she looked at a unicorn horn for twenty-one Galleons. She frowned at a bucket of beetles.</p>
<p>Outside the apothecary, Hagrid checked Mary’s list. “Just your wand left—oh yeah, and I still haven’t got you a birthday gift.”</p>
<p>Mary gasped and said, “Honestly, Hagrid—this.” She stretched out her arms to the street. “This has been a gift. The best gift anyone has ever given me.”</p>
<p>Hagrid seemed to grow a bit rosy on his cheeks, but he shook his head. “Nah, this was just part of the job. Your birthday isn’t every day, now is it? Nah, you need an animal. Not a toad. Won’t suit you. Cats make me sneeze. All the kids want owls—they’re usual. Carry your mail and everything.”</p>
<p>Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been dark and full of rustling and flickering eyes. Mary carried a cage that held a beautiful, snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing.</p>
<p>“T-Thank you so much, H-Hagrid!” Mary stammered. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from happiness. No one had ever given her anything like this before.</p>
<p>“Don’t mention it,” Hagrid said. “Don’t suppose you got much presents from the Dursleys, yeah? Just Ollivanders left now—only place for wands, Ollivanders, if you want the best.”</p>
<p>A magic wand. Mary couldn’t believe that any of this was real, but this was the main event. This whole day had been leading up to this.</p>
<p>Ollivanders was narrow and run-down. Peeling gold letters over the door read <em>Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.</em> A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.</p>
<p>A bell rang somewhere deep inside the shop as Mary walked through the door. It was tiny, with only a single chair. Hagrid walked over to the chair and sat down to wait. Mary felt the silence weigh down on her. Hagrid didn’t speak, either. The hairs on the back of Mary’s neck stood up. There was something about this place…</p>
<p>“Good afternoon,” a voice said, causing both Mary and Hagrid to jump. There was a crunching sound and Mary turned around to see Hagrid now on his feet.</p>
<p>An old man emerged from the shadows of the shop, his pale eyes shining.</p>
<p>“Hello, sir,” Mary said.</p>
<p>“Ah, yes,” the man said. “Yes, yes. I thought I’d be seeing you soon. Mary Potter.” He looked down at her. “You have your mother’s eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work.”</p>
<p>Mr. Ollivander moved closer. The way he moved made it seem like he was gliding instead of walking. Wait, has he blinked this entire time? Mary didn’t think he had.</p>
<p>“Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it—it’s really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course.”</p>
<p>Mr. Ollivander bent over and came close to Mary. “And that’s where…” He touched the lightning scar on Mary’s forehead with his long finger. “I’m sorry to say, I sold the wand that did it. Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands…well, if I’d known what that wand was going out into the world to do…”</p>
<p>He shook his head and then spotted Hagrid. He glided over to him. “Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again… Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn’t it?”</p>
<p>“It was, sir, yes,” Hagrid said.</p>
<p>Ollivader tapped his finger and his chin and said, “Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?” The old man’s eyes narrowed.</p>
<p>“Er—yes, they did,” Hagrid said, shuffling his feet, not looking the man in the eye. “I’ve still got the pieces, though.”</p>
<p>“But you don’t use them?” Mr. Ollivander asked.</p>
<p>“Oh, no, sir,” Hagrid said, gripping his umbrella tightly.</p>
<p>“Hmm,” Mr. Ollivander looked Hagrid up and down before turning away and back to Mary. “Ms. Potter. Let me see.” He procured a measuring tape with silver markings gracefully from his pocket. “Which is your wand arm?”</p>
<p>“Um, well, I’m right-handed,” Mary said.</p>
<p>“Hold out your arm,” the old man said. Mary obediently held out her arm. “That’s it.” He measured her arm from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, “Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Ms. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicrons, dragons, or phoenixes are the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard’s wand.”</p>
<p>Mary suddenly became aware that the tape measure was now moving on its own. Mr. Ollivander was busy flitting from shelf to shelf, taking down boxes.</p>
<p>“That will do,” he said and the tape measure fell to the floor. “Right, Ms. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Take it—give it a wave.”</p>
<p>Mary reached out and took the wand and tried to wave it, but the man snatched it out of her hand.</p>
<p>“Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try—”</p>
<p>Mary raised it up, but it also was taken from her hand.</p>
<p>“No, no, that’s not it—here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and half inches, springy. Go on, try it.”</p>
<p>Blowing some hair away from her face, she tried wand after wand. She wasn’t sure what he was waiting for, but the more wands she tried the happier he became. She guessed something was working.</p>
<p>“Tricky one, aren’t you? I like tricky ones. Not to worry, your wand is here somewhere. Just have to find it. Ah, wait—I wonder… Unusual combination—holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple.”</p>
<p>Mary grasped the wand in her hand and felt a sudden warmth from her fingers, snaking its way down her forearm. Raising the wand, she gave it a wave. Sparks spiraled off the tip of the wand in a steam of red and gold, they danced and sparkled brilliantly in the dark shop. Hagrid whooped and clapped at the display.</p>
<p>Clapping his hands, Mr. Ollivander cried, “Oh, bravo! Yes, yes. Indeed, very good. Well, well, well… How curious… Very curious, indeed.” Gently, he took Mary’s wand and put it back in its box and wrapped it in brown paper. “Curious… Wonderfully so, but still…”</p>
<p>“Sorry, is something wrong?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>Mr. Ollivander’s pale eyes snapped to Mary and he said, “I remember every single wand I’ve sold, Ms. Potter. Every single one. It just so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather—just one. It is very curious, indeed, that you should be destined for this wand when its brother gave you that scar.”</p>
<p>Mary swallowed. Suddenly all of the fun of the day seemed to have been consumed by this one moment.</p>
<p>“Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious how these things happen. The wand chooses the witch, remember. I think it’s safe to say we should expect great things from you, Ms. Potter. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things—terrible. But great.”</p>
<p>Biting her lip, Mary silently paid seven Galleons for the wand and left without looking back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The late afternoon sun was casting long shadows on the street as Mary and Hagrid made their way down Diagon Alley and back through the Leaky Cauldron. Mary’s mind was still stuck in that moment, so she didn’t notice the people staring on the Underground. Mary only realized where they were when Hagrid put a gentle hand on her shoulder.</p>
<p>“Want a bite to eat before your train?” Hagrid asked and guided her over to a fast-food place nearby.</p>
<p>He bought a hamburger for Mary and they found a table to sit at outside. She slowly ate it, looking around her.</p>
<p>“All right, Mary? You’re being very quiet. You’re usually so full of questions.”</p>
<p>“I’m not special, Hagrid. Everyone seems to think I am. Expect great things? I haven’t done anything yet. I’m just a kid.”</p>
<p>Hagrid leaned across the table and smiled. “Don’t worry, Mary. You’ll learn soon enough. Everyone has to start at the beginning. I know it’s hard being singled out, but you’ll be fine.”</p>
<p>Mary laughed and said, “I’ve been singled out my entire life... The only difference is that I went from no one wanting to know me to everyone already knowing me.”</p>
<p>“So you already got experience, then.” He paused and said, “Trust me. You’re gonna have the time of your life at Hogwarts. I did, still do.”</p>
<p>Hagrid helped Mary on to the train that would take him back to the Dursleys, then handed her an envelope. “Your ticket to Hogwarts,” he said. “First of September, King’s Cross—it’s all on the ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a letter with your owl, she’ll know where to find me. I’ll see you at Hogwarts, Mary.”</p>
<p>As the train pulled away, Mary watched Hagrid until he was gone. She sighed and crossed her arms.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's finally time for Mary to leave to Hogwarts. How will she get there? How will people react to her? Will she make any friends?</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Update (3/25/2021): The chapter was updated to reduce the problematic descriptions based on Rowling's original text. Also, many typos were fixed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mary’s last month with the Dursley was a mixed bag. Uncle Vernon and Dudley tried their best pretend she didn’t exist. Dudley was spending more time in his room since the neighborhood was still hounding him about Mary. She almost felt bad for him, except he had spent most of his life treating her the exact same way. Things were tense between Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia since she continued to support Mary’s gender despite his objections. There was one thing they both still agreed on: neither of them were happy about Mary’s decision to go to Hogwarts.</p>
<p>There wasn’t much for Mary to do than to stay in her room and study her books. She followed Hagrid’s advice and didn’t try to actually cast any spells, but she wouldn’t lie about the temptation always being there. This also gave her ample time to bond with her owl. She had decided to call her Hedwig after a name she found in <em>A History of Magic</em>; although, she had been tempted to call her Rowena after Rowena Ravenclaw. She learned about her in <em>Hogwarts, A History</em>. But what if she hadn’t ended up in Ravenclaw? That would be awkward. Mary was still undecided on which House she preferred. Hagrid seemed to have a poor opinion on Slytherin, though.</p>
<p>In exchange for keeping her room tidy and cleaning up after Hedwig, who had a habit of bringing back dead mice, Aunt Petunia was teaching her about makeup and how to cook beyond simple things like bacon and eggs. She wasn’t sure why, but Aunt Petunia said that a girl should always know how to cook.</p>
<p>One morning during the last week of August, Mary looked across the table at Uncle Vernon. In his typical fashion, his newspaper was up, and he was intently looking for something to complain about. There was never going to be a time that was easy to ask him about this, so she supposed this was as good a time as any.</p>
<p>“Um, Uncle Vernon?” Mary said.</p>
<p>He grunted. The newspaper fells slowly and revealed his glaring eyes.</p>
<p>“Next week, I need to be at King’s Cross on September first to go to Hogwarts. Could you give me a lift?”</p>
<p>He carefully folded up his newspaper and gingerly placed it on the table in front of him. Calmly, he asked, “And why would I do that?”</p>
<p>“Because I need someone to give me a lift?”</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon gave a chuckle and asked, “Can’t you just teleport yourself there? Or summon a Pegasus to whisk you away?”</p>
<p>This wasn’t going well, but honestly, she was never expecting it to. “Unfortunately, no.”</p>
<p>“Imagine that. The moment you need to something practical, your magic fails you,” he said and then picked his newspaper back up. “You can find another way to your mad school of bobs and tricks, boy.”</p>
<p>“I’ll drive her,” Aunt Petunia said from the sink. She had been washing dishes while they were having this conversation.</p>
<p>Vernon threw his newspaper down and said, “You shall do no such thing! That is my car and you won’t drive it without my permission!”</p>
<p>“Funny,” Aunt Petunia said without looking at him. “It’s always our car when you need someone to clean it. It’s always our house when you need someone to clean it. But the moment something happens you don’t like, suddenly it’s your car. Your house. How dare I question you.” She threw the dish rag down into the sink and looked across the room at him. “Just let me drop her off and King’s Cross.”</p>
<p>Uncle Vernon’s face was the same color as a tomato as he walked out of the room.</p>
<p>“Are you and Uncle Vernon going to be okay?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“It’s sweet of you to be worried about us, but don’t be. You should be worried about school, not grown-up stuff. Honestly, whether or not we’re okay is really up to your uncle, not me. He’s the one with the problem.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sleeping was difficult the night before the big day. Mary had check and double-checked her trunk at least six times to make sure that everything she needed was in there. She had decided, changed her mind, and then went back to her first outfit decision at least three times. Finally, she managed to fall asleep, only to wake up at six o’clock. Deciding it was late enough, she got up and brushed her teeth and hair, put her hair up into a ponytail, and tended to Hedwig to make sure she was comfortable.</p>
<p>After the Dursleys were awake, they had a quick breakfast, and Mr. Dursley begrudgingly agreed to help get Mary’s trunk in the car. After that, they were off.</p>
<p>They drove into the parking lot of King’s Cross at half passed ten. Aunt Petunia helped her get her trunk onto a cart and they walked off to the station. Her aunt looked down at Mary and she asked, “Which platform is the train on?”</p>
<p>Mary looked at the ticket and read it out loud, “Nine and three-quarters.”</p>
<p>Petunia squinted down at her. “Pardon?”</p>
<p>Holding the ticket up, Mary pointed at the platform. “Nine and three-quarters.”</p>
<p>Her aunt took the ticket and read it herself. She blinked a few times as if she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. Looking back to her niece, she said, “Dear, there isn’t a Platform Nine and three-quarters.” She pointed up to the signs. “There’s Nine and there’s Ten. There’s nothing between them.”</p>
<p>It was true. No matter how she looked, the platform wasn’t there. “What do we do if it isn’t here?”</p>
<p>“Don’t panic. There must be some kind of mistake.” She waved down guard and pointed at the ticket. “Is this some kind of misprint or is there really a Platform Nine and Three Quarters?”</p>
<p>The guard looked at the ticket and gave a chuckle. “Well, ain’t that something. Never seen that before. Has to be a misprint. I would go talk to the ticket office.”</p>
<p>“Aunt Petunia, we don’t have time to do that. The train leaves in ten minutes.” Mary said. Shrugging, the guard walked away. Mary shook her head. “Obviously, I missed something. Or forgot something Hagrid told me to do. Something…”</p>
<p>Just as Aunt Petunia was saying something about talking to ticket office, Mary heard something as a group of people walked passed. “—packed with Muggles, of course—”</p>
<p>Mary looked to the people who just walked by. There was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry’s in front of them. And they had an owl!</p>
<p>She pointed and said, “Aunt Petunia, look!”</p>
<p>As soon as she saw them, her aunt turned completely pale and her jaw dropped. Yep, they were magic folk, all right. No one else could invoke such a reaction out of Petunia. Not knowing what else to do, they walked over to the strange family.</p>
<p>“Now, what’s the platform number?” the mother asked.</p>
<p>“Nine and three-quarters!” a small girl said excitedly, she was holding the mother’s hand. “Mum, can’t I go…?”</p>
<p>“You’re not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first.”</p>
<p>What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten. Aunt Petunia and Mary watched. Just as the boy reached the dividing barriers between the two platforms, a large crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last backpack had cleared, the boy was gone.</p>
<p>“Fred, you next,” the mother said.</p>
<p>“I’m not Fred, I’m George,” said the boy. “Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother? Can’t you tell I’m George?”</p>
<p>“Sorry, George, dear.”</p>
<p>“Only joking, I am Fred,” said the boy and he walked off. His twin called after him to hurry up and he must have, since a moment later he had vanished. What happened to him?</p>
<p>Now the third brother was walking quickly toward the barrier and then suddenly he had disappeared.</p>
<p>Finally, Aunt Petunia walked over to the mother and asked, “Excuse me. Are you hear for the train to Hogwarts too?”</p>
<p>“Why, of course. Is she yours?” She smiled at Mary.</p>
<p>Petunia smiled and then said, “My sister’s. She…passed away a long time ago. I took her in.”</p>
<p>The red-haired woman frowned and said, “Oh, poor dear.” She gestured Mary to come over and she did. “Now, sweetie. Pay attention. All you have to do is walk straight toward the barrier of nine and ten. Don’t stop and don’t be scared or you’ll crash into it—that’s important. Run if you’re nervous. Go on.”</p>
<p>Mary looked up at her aunt, who looked nothing but nervous, so she decided to focus on the wall and convince herself that it isn’t there. She started to run. Looking around for people as she did. She was in the clear. Picking up speed, she closed her eyes and convinced herself she would be fine. She opened her eyes and found herself in front of a scarlet steam engine on platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven o’clock. Mary looked behind her and found a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it.</p>
<p>Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled way over the scraping of heavy trunks. Mary looked back at the archway and wondered for a moment if Aunt Petunia would follow her through; however, she quickly realized that this literal barrier was something Petunia would never cross.</p>
<p>Walking into the crowd, Mary started looking for an open seat. Kids were leaning out the windows talking to their families. A round-faced boy ran passed. “Gran, I’ve lost my toad again!”</p>
<p>“Oh, Neville,” an old woman said with a sigh.</p>
<p>A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd. “Give us a look, Lee. Come on!” The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms and the people around him shrieked as something poked out a long, hairy leg.</p>
<p>Pressing on, Mary found an open compartment near the end of the train. She brought Hedwig inside first, setting her gently down next to the seat. Coming back outside, she found the two red-haired twins waiting for her.</p>
<p>“Need a hand?” one of the boys asked. It was the one who ran through the barrier first. Fred, she remembered, so she figured the other one must be George.</p>
<p>“Yes, please,” Mary said. She was wondering how she was going to manage to get her trunk on the train by herself.</p>
<p>The two of them bent over and lifted the trunk off the cart. They brought the trunk onboard and tucked it neatly into a corner.</p>
<p>“Thank you for your help, Fred and George,” Mary said.</p>
<p>They looked surprised and George said, “Oh, so you know our names?”</p>
<p>“I was just behind you coming through the barrier,” Mary explained. “Heard your mum call you by your names.” Fred wasn’t listening, he had his eyes squinted at something on Mary’s face, which made her self-conscious. “Is something wrong?”</p>
<p>“Blimey,” Fred said, pointing at her forehead. “That looks like—”</p>
<p>“Can’t be,” George said, also noticing Mary’s scar. “She’s a girl.”</p>
<p>Mary shifted on her feet and said, “My name is Mary Potter, if that’s what you mean.”</p>
<p>The two of them stared for a moment and then George asked, “You can do that?” Fred elbowed him in the ribs. “Oof! I mean, I’m glad to meet you, Mary.”</p>
<p>Suddenly, a voice yelled, “Fred? George? Are you there?”</p>
<p>“Coming, Mum,” they said in unison. The two left the compartment and Mary walked over to the window and sat next to it. Their mother had taken out a handkerchief and was rubbing a small red-haired boy’s nose. “Ron, you got something on your nose.” He tried to get away from her, but she just grabbed him and kept rubbing the spot on his nose.</p>
<p>“Mum, get off!” He finally managed to squirm out of her arms.</p>
<p>“Ah, has ickle Ronnie got something on his nosie?” Fred teased with a laugh.</p>
<p>“Shut up,” Ron said, frowning.</p>
<p>“Where’s Percy?” their mother asked.</p>
<p>“He’s coming now,” George said, pointing into the crowd.</p>
<p>The oldest boy came striding out of the crowd. He had already changed into his black Hogwarts robes and Mary saw a shiny red-and-gold badge on his chest with the letter P on it. “Can’t stay long, Mother,” he said, “I’m up front, the prefects have got two compartments to themselves—”</p>
<p>“Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?” George said with faux surprise. “I had no idea. You should have said something!”</p>
<p>Fred was tapping his chin. “You know, I think I may have heard him say something about it once.”</p>
<p>“Or twice.”</p>
<p>“For a minute.”</p>
<p>“Or all summer.”</p>
<p>“Oh, shut it,” Percy said, narrowing his eyes at the twins.</p>
<p>“How come he gets new robes, anyway?” Fred asked.</p>
<p>Their mother rolled her eyes as she put her hands on her hips. “Because he’s a prefect.” She turned to Percy and adjusted his collar with a smile. “All right, dear, well, have a good term—send me an owl when you get there.” She kissed him on the cheek and then he strode off. Then she turned back to the twins. “Now, you two—this year, you better behave yourselves. If I get one more owl telling me you’ve blown up a toilet or something.”</p>
<p>George shook his head and said, “Trust me, Mum. What we do will be nothing compared to what we just found out.”</p>
<p>Mary jerked at attention.</p>
<p>Fred looked around and said, “Turns out Harry Potter is here. On this train. Right now.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Ron said, smiling. “What’s he like? Did you talk to him?”</p>
<p>George puffed out his chest and said, “Indeed I did. Not what you’d expect, though.”</p>
<p>“What are you two talking about?” their mother asked.</p>
<p>“He’s not a he.”</p>
<p>“He calls himself Mary Potter.”</p>
<p>Ron’s jaw dropped and he asked, “Mary Potter? What?”</p>
<p>“You’re lying,” the little girl next to their mother said. “Harry Potter isn’t a girl. Maybe there’s just some liar on there saying she’s Harry Potter.”</p>
<p>George tapped his forehead and said, “If he is a liar, he has convincing makeup skills. He has the scar.”</p>
<p>The little girl pouted and demanded, “I want to go on the train and see myself!”</p>
<p>Their mother silenced them with her hand and she said, “Look, I’m not going to tell others how to live, but just be careful with that one. Don’t go teasing him, but also try not to associate yourselves too much.”</p>
<p>Mary slid back in her seat, wanting to disappear.</p>
<p>“Look after Ron,” their mother demanded.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us.”</p>
<p>She heard Ron grumble something, but it was hard to hear through the wall of the train.</p>
<p>A whistle blew somewhere near the front of the train.</p>
<p>“Hurry up!” their mother exclaimed.</p>
<p>Mary could hear the sudden rush of feet jumping onto the train and a little girl sobbing somewhere outside.</p>
<p>“Don’t, Ginny, we’ll send you loads of owls.”</p>
<p>“We’ll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat!”</p>
<p>“George!”</p>
<p>“Only joking, Mum.”</p>
<p>The twin laughed at each other.</p>
<p>Mary felt the train begin to move and she hoped that she would be lucky enough to keep this compartment to herself. She really didn’t feel like talking to anyone anymore. Why did she think this would be any different that Stonewall High? At least no one there would have known who she was. She frowned and put her head in her hands.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, she would not have her wish as she heard the compartment door slide open. Looking up, she saw the youngest of the boys appear in the door.</p>
<p>“Oh, I didn’t know a girl was in here,” he moved to continue down the carriage when he remembered what his brothers had said. He walked forward and asked, “Say, you wouldn’t happen to be Har… Um, Mary, would you?” There was still a dark mark on his nose.</p>
<p>She didn’t see any point in lying about it, she nodded and said, “That’s right. Mary Potter.” She lifted up her fringe and showed the lightning bolt scar.</p>
<p>“Wicked,” Ron said with a smile.</p>
<p>“Ron,” Fred said, which George following behind. “Remember what Mum said?”</p>
<p>“Everywhere else is taken,” Ron said.</p>
<p>Fred and George just shrugged. They didn’t seem like they cared about Ron ignoring what their mother had told them.</p>
<p>George said, “Lee Jordan’s got a giant tarantula further down. We’re going to go check it out.”</p>
<p>The two of them walked off.</p>
<p>Walking into the compartment, Ron said down on the seat across from Mary and asked, “So… Why… Why are…”</p>
<p>“Why am I a girl?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>Ron sheepishly nodded.</p>
<p>She shook her head and said, “I really don’t know. I’ve just always been this way.” There was a moment of silence before she asked, “Are all your family witches and wizards?” She was genuinely curious, but she was also desperate to change the subject.</p>
<p>“Er… Yes, I think so,” Ron said, looking nervous. “I think Mum’s got a cousin somewhere that might be an accountant, but we never talk to him.”</p>
<p>Mary edged closer with a smile. “You seem to already know, but my name is Mary Potter. You must know loads of magic already, then. Can you show me anything?”</p>
<p>Maybe Ron was part of one of those old wizarding families that the boy in the shop was talking about. “Ron Weasley and not really,” Ron admitted. “I heard that you were sent to be raised by Muggles. What’re they like?”</p>
<p>“Mostly horrible,” Mary admitted. “Well, my uncle and cousin, mostly. My aunt has her moments, but she can be very stubborn, but she bought me my clothes. None of them like magic. My uncle hates that I call myself a girl.”</p>
<p>Ron nodded and said, “That sounds rough, but I also have it bad. I’m the sixth in our family. Bill was headboy and Charlie was captain of the Quidditch team—both of them have graduated Hogwarts now. Percy’s a prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot, but they still get good marks and everyone thinks they’re funny. Everyone expects me to do just as well.”</p>
<p>Mary said with a smile, “I think you can do just as good, if you want to.”</p>
<p>The boy’s ears grew a little pink, but he shook his head and said, “It don’t matter. They already did it, so I don’t have to worry about it. That’s the problem. You never get to do anything new when you have five older brothers. Never get anything new, either. I got Bill’s old robes, Charlie’s old wand, and Percy’s old rat.” Ron reached into his jacket and pulled out a fat sleeping rat. “His name’s Scabbers and he’s useless. He usually just sleeps. Percy got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn’t aff—I mean, I got Scabbers instead.”</p>
<p>Ron’s ears were now nearly completely red. He looked away and looked out the window for a moment.</p>
<p>“To be honest, until recently, I never had any money. I had to wear Dudley’s hand-me-downs, which were always huge on me. The only toys I got were the ones Dudley broke. It wasn’t until the letter came and Aunt Petunia tried to get me out of being a witch by buying me the clothes I wanted that things started to change.”</p>
<p>“Wait, your aunt tried to convince you to be a Muggle?”</p>
<p>Mary nodded and said, “And I would have too, if Hagrid hadn’t come to get me and showed me the wizarding world. Before that I had no idea about my parents or about Voldemort—”</p>
<p>Ron gasped and said, “You said You-Know-Who’s name!” Despite the fear in his voice, he looked impressed. “I’d though you, of all people—”</p>
<p>“Sorry, sorry,” Mary said, “I don’t know the rules of this world yet. I don’t know anything about magic. The closest I’ve gotten was reading the books, but without the experience it was like reading fantasy books.” She shook her head and looked out the window. “I can’t wait to get to Hogwarts and start learning about everything.”</p>
<p>Ron was silent for a moment and then said, “Well, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Muggleborns are in the same boat as you and they usually learn pretty fast.”</p>
<p>Looking back to the boy, Mary asked, “Why do I get the feeling you’re not too pleased to meet me?”</p>
<p>“No offense,” Ron said, avoiding eye contact. “See, I’ve grew up hearing stories about the Boy Who Lived. Thinking about who he was. What he’s like. Never thought in a million years he’d turn out to be a girl.”</p>
<p>“And what’s wrong with being a girl?” a voice asked from the door, which was now open. There was a girl standing there with messy brown hair and large front teeth. She had her hands on her hips and she was looking down her nose at Ron.</p>
<p>“Nothing’s wrong with being a girl, it’s just—”</p>
<p>“Just what?” the girl asked, walking forward and then she smiled at Mary. “Mary Potter, I presume? The whole train is talking about you. I had to come and see for myself. I’m Hermione. Hermione Granger, nice to meet you.”</p>
<p>Mary smiled sheepishly and said, “So everyone knows, then?”</p>
<p>Hermione nodded and said, “Afraid so, but I honestly don’t think it’s a big deal. The fact you’re the Girl Who Lived is much more interesting.”</p>
<p>“Because you are a girl,” Ron said bitterly.</p>
<p>“What’s that got to do with anything?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>Ron sighed and said, “Everything! It’s like a betrayal to all boys everywhere!”</p>
<p>“A bit melodramatic, aren’t you?” Hermione said.</p>
<p>Crossing his arms, Ron slumped back in his chair. “You wouldn’t understand.”</p>
<p>“You don’t understand,” Hermione said, stepping over to him. “It isn’t easy being transgender. Think about how much courage it must take for Mary to come to Hogwarts as herself, despite everyone knowing her past.”</p>
<p>“Transgender?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“It means you were assigned male at birth, but you realized you were a girl. You don’t know about that?” Hermione turned back to Mary.</p>
<p>Blinking with shock, Mary said, “I didn’t know it had a name.”</p>
<p>Hermione looked at Mary with shock and then pity. She walked over and sat next to the other girl. “Surely you know about LGBT issues?”</p>
<p>“What’re you talking about?” Ron asked. “Nothing you’re saying makes any sense.”</p>
<p>Ignoring Ron, Hermione continued, “LGBT stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. It’s a movement for equal rights.”</p>
<p>“How do you know about this?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“Good question. I think she’s making it up.” Ron said.</p>
<p>The girl squinted at the boy and he went silent. “I know about it because my parents told me about it. They’ve always been accepting of other people and allow me to read any books I want.” She paused for a moment before adding, “You’ve got dirt on your nose, by the way. Just there.” She pointed.</p>
<p>Ron frowned and tried rubbing his nose with his sleeve.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>During this time, they had left London and they were out in the countryside. Outside, they were speeding passed fields of cows and sheep. They were finally quiet, which relieved Mary. Hermione sat next to her and Ron was looking at the window and grumbling about something under his breath now and then. While Mary had her mind blown frown the realization there was a whole community of people like her out there that she had never known about before, Ron found the idea to be completely repugnant. The Weasleys and Uncle Vernon would along on one respect, at least. Mary had gotten the idea that the wizarding world was more open-minded than the Muggle world, but the Weasleys made her doubt it.</p>
<p>A clattering outside the door caught everyone’s attention. The compartment door slid open and a smiling woman said, “Would you like anything off the cart, dearies?”</p>
<p>Ron held up a brown paper bag and said, “I have lunch.”</p>
<p>“I also have lunch, but it’s back with my things. Come to think of it, I’m pretty hungry.” Hermione stood up and slid passed the woman and was gone.</p>
<p>Being a bit hungry, Mary stood up and walked over to the cart. She was more than a little curious because the Dursleys hardly ever gave her any money for candy. The cart had strange candy that Mary had never heard of before: Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, Drobble’s Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice Wands, and several other strange things. Unsure about what was best, she got one of everything. She knew she couldn’t eat everything but figured that Ron and Hermione could help her eat the rest. Mary handed over eleven Sickles and seven Knuts.</p>
<p>“Hungry?” Ron asked, his mouth thinning with jealousy.</p>
<p>Mary shrugged and said, “I’ve never had wizard’s candy before. I don’t know what’s good.”</p>
<p>Ron pulled a sandwich out of the brown bag and said with a frown, “She always forgets I don’t like corned beef.”</p>
<p>The door slid open again and Hermione came back into the room with her own lunch. She gaped at the pile of candy and said, “Mary, you’re going to get a stomachache if you eat all that.”</p>
<p>“Well, it’s a good thing I have two other people here to help me eat all this, then.”</p>
<p>“I don’t think I should—”</p>
<p>Before Ron could finish protesting, Mary put a Pumpkin Pasty in his hand. “I can’t all of this on my own.” Maybe it was a bribe, but she really didn’t want Ron to hate her and the compartment has been tense for a while.</p>
<p>Ron hesitated but then shrugged and ripped the wrapper open. “Well, all right.”</p>
<p>After that, the atmosphere of the compartment began to lighten. The three of them began digging through the candy.</p>
<p>“What’re these?” Mary held up a box of Chocolate Frogs. She thought about it for a second before she asked, “I feel a bit dumb for asking, but are these real frogs or just candy?” After the things she saw at Diagon Alley, she isn’t willing to think that anything is beyond the scope of reality for witches and wizards.</p>
<p>“No,” Ron answered. “Just shaped like frogs. What you really want are the cards. You collect them—I’m only missing Agrippa. Each box has a card of a famous witch or wizard—I already have about five hundred, but I haven’t got Agrippa or Ptolemy.”</p>
<p>Mary opened the box and found the candy inside and a card of an old man. He wore half-moon glasses, had a crooked nose, and long gray hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture it read: Albus Dumbledore.</p>
<p>“Hagrid told me about Dumbledore, but I also read about him in <em>Hogwarts, A History</em>.”</p>
<p>Hermione’s eyes widened and Ron nearly choked on his pasty as they both ask, “You read that book?”</p>
<p>Mary nodded and said, “I love to read. It was the only way I could…well, get away. It was always better to be in a world of a book than the real one.” While she was saying this, she was reading the description on the back of the card.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Albus Dumbledore</p>
<p>Currently Headmaster of Hogwarts</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can’t believe I found myself in the company of two nerds,” Ron said.</p>
<p>Hermione pursed her lips and then shook her head. “It isn’t nerdy to read about the school we’re going to be attending for the next seven years. It’s practical.”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Practically nerdy.”</p>
<p>Honestly, Mary wasn’t paying that much attention to what they were saying. She just knew they were bickering about something. Turning the card back around, she jumped with surprise. “He’s gone!” She showed the card to Hermione and Ron. It was now empty where the picture of Professor Dumbledore used to be.</p>
<p>“Of course, he is!” Ron said. “You can’t expect him to just hang around forever, now can you.”</p>
<p>“Ron, in the Muggle word, pictures don’t usually move,” Hermione explained.</p>
<p>Ron shook his head and said, “How boring.”</p>
<p>Eventually, Mary also had Morgana and Merlin. Hermione had received Hengist of Woodcraft and Circe. And Ron went on to find Alberic Grunnion and Parracelsus. Ripping open the last package of Chocolate Frogs, while handing Ron the actual candy, Mary found the druidess Cliodna. There were so many witches and wizards throughout history, and she was eager to learn about all of them.</p>
<p>She was in the middle of reading the back of one of the cards when she heard Ron say, “Be careful with those!” Looking over, she found Ron pointing at a small bag in Hermione’s hand. It was the bag of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. “When they say every flavor, they mean it. George reckons he had a booger-flavored one once.”</p>
<p>Despite Ron’s warning, they began to eat the beans, which indeed had flavors that Mary had never had before: toast, baked beans, curry, grass, and sardines were the strange ones. She also had coconut, strawberry, and coffee.</p>
<p>Hermione’s eyes watered as she coughed. “Ugh, I think that was pepper.”</p>
<p>At this point, Ron was beginning to realize and then he asked, “Aren’t you afraid of going to school as a girl when everyone knows you as a boy.”</p>
<p>“Terrified,” Mary said, “but I would rather be terrified than go back to hating myself for living a lie. I don’t like pretending to be a boy. It feels like I’m lying to everyone I meet. It makes me feel guilty and for a while that guilt turned to anger at myself.”</p>
<p>“When did you know?”</p>
<p>Mary shrugged and said, “Honestly? I don’t even know. Don’t even remember. I just didn’t wake up one morning and thought I was a girl. I always just knew.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Outside, the countryside had grown wilder. The neat farm fields were gone. Now there were rivers twisting through dense forests and green hills. There came a rap on the door and a round-faced boy peeked into the compartment. Tears were wavering in his eyes. “Have you seen a toad?” They all looked at each other and looked back at the boy, shaking their heads. He sniffled and said, “Well, if you see him let me know, okay?” With that, he slid the door closed.</p>
<p>Hermione stood up and said, “We should go help him look for it.”</p>
<p>“He’ll find it,” Ron said. He didn’t seem like he wanted to help the boy at all. “Not that I understand why he’s so bothered. If I were him, I would’ve ditched the toad as soon as I could—then again, I have Scabbers.” The rat was splayed across Ron’s thigh, blissfully asleep. “He might be dead right now and you would never tell the difference. I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more interesting, but the spell didn’t work.”</p>
<p>“Can you show us?” Mary asked, leaning forward in her seat.</p>
<p>Hermione looked pretty keen too.</p>
<p>Mary could see Ron’s ears turn pink once again as he walked over to his trunk. After some rummaging, he pulled out a battered wand with something glimmering white sticking out at the tip. Setting Scabbers down on the seat, he cleared his throat and raised his wand over the rat. “Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow. Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow!”</p>
<p>He waved his wand over the rat, but nothing seemed to happen. Scabbers’s leg twitched in his sleep.</p>
<p>“Are you sure that’s a real spell?” Hermione asked. “It sounds like something someone just made up.”</p>
<p>Ron shook his head and swallowed hard. “I shouldn’t be surprised. George was the one who taught me it.”</p>
<p>Looking outside, Hermione squinted for a moment before standing up. “I think it’s about time.”</p>
<p>“Time for what?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“Time to get dressed. We’ll be at Hogwarts soon.” She turned to Ron and said, “You should find somewhere to change.”</p>
<p>“Me? Why should I go?” Ron asked.</p>
<p>Hermione rolled her eyes and said, “Well, you can’t get changed in the same room as two girls, can you?”</p>
<p>Ron protested, “You’re the one who just barged in here. Mary and I were here before you and besides Mary isn’t a real girl.”</p>
<p>Marching up to the boy, Hermione poked him in the chest. “Don’t speak that way about Mary. I’m going to go get my clothes, when I come back, you’ll be gone.” And then she strode out of the compartment to go find her trunk.</p>
<p>Ron turned to Mary with an incredulous look, almost like she expected her to have his back. She was frowning, though. He groaned and said, “Fine.” He opened his trunk and pulled out his school robes. “I’ll go see if I can change in Fred and George’s compartment.” He walked out of the compartment and a second later Hermione reappeared. She closed the door behind her.</p>
<p>As the two girls got changed, Hermione asked, “What House do you want to be sorted into?”</p>
<p>“I’m not sure,” Mary admitted.</p>
<p>“I’m hoping for Gryffindor—but Ravenclaw wouldn’t be bad.”</p>
<p>“Dumbledore was in Gryffindor.”</p>
<p>Hermione nodded. “He was.”</p>
<p>“Voldemort was in Slytherin.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Slytherin also doesn’t like people like me.” There was a pause and she said, “Muggleborns.”</p>
<p>They had finished changing into their school uniforms. Mary slid her clothes into her trunk as Hermione made her way to the door. Just as she slid it open, she found Ron there, which made her jump. “You scared me.”</p>
<p>“Well, I didn’t know if I could come back in yet.” Ron said.</p>
<p>Hermione walked out of the compartment and said, “You could’ve just knocked, you know.”</p>
<p>Ron walked in and grumbled, “I really hope she doesn’t end up in Gryffindor.”</p>
<p>“Is that the House you want to be in?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>Nodding, Ron said, “Every Weasley has been in Gryffindor.”</p>
<p>The door slid open once again. Mary looked, expecting to find Hermione, but instead three boys were striding in. One of them Mary recognized as the boy from Madam Malkin’s shop. He was looking around the room as if he expected to find something. His eyes snapped to Mary and looked her up and down, his lip curling with disgust.</p>
<p>“Is it true?” the boy asked. “Everyone’s talking about how this is Harry Potter’s compartment. Wasn’t expecting Harry Potter to be…you.”</p>
<p>“It’s Mary Potter, actually,” she said.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes,” the boy said dismissively.</p>
<p>He was flanked by two large boys who were both glaring down at Mary menacingly. They reminded her too much of Dudley. The boy seemed to notice Mary’s attention as he said, “This is Crabbe and Goyle.” He gave a smirk and continued, “I’m Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.” At this time, a very baffled Hermione came into the room. Malfoy frowned at her and said, “I might’ve warned you about hanging around such riffraff, but then again I guess trash collects together.”</p>
<p>Ron stepped forward and said, “Who’re you calling trash?”</p>
<p>“Red hair, freckles, old robes… You’re a Weasley, aren’t you?” Malfoy asked. “Think you’re going to fight us, are you?” He laughed and then frowned at Mary. “I’m disappointed. Here I thought that Harry Potter would be a great wizard, but you’re nothing but a mad boy who thinks he’s a girl.”</p>
<p>“She is a girl,” Hermione said.</p>
<p>Malfoy rounded on her and said, “Don’t you dare speak to your betters that way!” Before anyone could say anything, he jerked his head. “Let’s get out of here before the mud gets on our shoes.” They left the compartment, but the atmosphere remained tense.</p>
<p>Finally, Ron said, “The Malfoys. They were some of the first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said they’d been bewitched. My dad doesn’t believe it. The Malfoys don’t need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side—they’ve always been there.”</p>
<p>It was getting dark. Outside, the sky had gone purple. May could just make out some forested mountains. The train felt like it was starting to slow down. From a speaker on the wall, a voice said, “We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes’ time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately.”</p>
<p>Mary swallowed and felt her stomach tighten. The three children looked at each other. They all looked pale and they quickly picked up the sweets around the compartment and crammed them into their pockets. Stepping out into the corridor, they found others doing the same.</p>
<p>Slowly, the train came to a stop. People shoved their way out into the night on a tiny platform. Outside, the air was crisp, and Mary could see hints of her breath on the light of lanterns hanging from streetlights. Off in the distance a light was bobbing up and down. Mary got on her tip toes and saw a large shadow form into Hagrid. “First years, first years, over here!” The man yelled and then he caught Mary in the crowd and smiled down at her. “All right there, Mary?”</p>
<p>Hagrid beamed over the sea of children and then waved his hand. “C’mon, follow me—anymore first years? Mind your step, now! First years, follow me!”</p>
<p>Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was dark everywhere but the path. Nobody spoke.</p>
<p>“You’ll get your first sight of Hogwarts in a sec,” Hagrid said over his shoulder. “Just round this bend here.”</p>
<p>Mary heard everyone gasp as they took the turn. They found themselves on the edge of a great lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the darkness, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.</p>
<p>“No more than four to a boat!” Hagrid called out to the children and pointed down to a small fleet of boats sitting by the shore.</p>
<p>Mary, Hermione, Ron, and the boy with the round face all got into a boat.</p>
<p>“Everyone in?” Hagrid asked, looking around from his boat. “Right. Forward!”</p>
<p>The boats moved off into the lake all at once. The water was smooth and still and the boats felt like they were only skimming the water. Everyone’s voices were stolen from awe as they approached the castle. It towered over them as they sailed closer to the cliff on which it stood.</p>
<p>“Heads down!” Hagrid yelled as the first boats reached the cliff. Bending their heads, the boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They sped along a dark tunnel until they reached an underground harbor. Carefully, they climbed out of the boats onto a shore of rocks and pebbles.</p>
<p>“Oy, you there! Is this your toad?” Hagrid asked after checking Mary’s boat.</p>
<p>“Trevor!” the round-faced boy said, rushing forward and taking the toad from the giant’s hand.</p>
<p>Climbing up a passageway in the rock, everyone followed Hagrid’s lamp. They came out onto damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around a huge, oak door.</p>
<p>“Everyone here?” Hagrid looked around and then looked down at the boy who lost his toad. “Still got your toad?”</p>
<p>The boy nodded.</p>
<p>Turning back to the door, Hagrid raised a fist and knocked three times.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Sorting Ceremony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What House will Mary end up in? Honestly, I genuinely debated with myself on this quite a bit. Does her experience differentiate herself enough from Harry to end up in a different House? It would have been interesting to explore a different House, but I ultimately still think that Mary is an extremely courageous girl. She lives with her life on her sleeve, which is far more brave than I was at her age. It took me a long time to come out.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Update (3/25/2021): The chapter was updated to reduce the problematic descriptions based on Rowling's original text. Also, many typos were fixed.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The door suddenly opened and a tall, black-haired witch in emerald robes stood there. She had a stern face and it occurred to Mary that this woman wouldn’t suffer fools.</p>
<p>Hagrid gestured to the woman and said, “First years, this is Professor McGonagall.”</p>
<p>Opening the door fully, she stood to the side and allowed the students to enter the entrance hall. As Mary walked inside, she was amazed by how large it was. The entire Dursleys’ house could fit into the entryway. The stone walls were lit with torches, the ceiling was hidden behind a veil of darkness, and a marble staircase was before them. Following Professor McGonagall across the flagstone floor, Mary could hear the murmur of voices from a doorway to the right. That must be where the rest of the students went. The witch didn’t turn and kept walking, though, leading them to a small chamber off to the side of the hall. The students barely fit into this tiny chamber. Everyone was looking around nervously.</p>
<p>“Welcome to Hogwarts,” Professor McGonagall finally said. “The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because your House will be like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend your free time in your House’s common room.</p>
<p>“The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House you’re assigned.</p>
<p>“The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as possible.” Her eyes darted toward Neville’s crooked cloak and Ron’s dirty nose. “I shall return when we are ready for you,” she said and turned toward the door. “Please wait quietly.”</p>
<p>As the door closed, leaving them in the tiny room, which was eerily silent. There was a moment before the room started to explode with conversation. Mary could feel her feet tingling as her nerves increased. She shuffled in her spot, hoping it’ll calm her down. Finally, she looked around her and found Hermione standing next to her. Ron was nowhere to be found.</p>
<p>“How exactly are people sorted into their Houses?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>Hermione shook her head and said, “I don’t know. I’m surprised they didn’t describe it in <em>Hogwarts, A History</em>.”</p>
<p>It was true. Mary tried to remember something from the book, but she couldn’t. It is possible that she just couldn’t recall something in the moment. She also did excitedly read the book, so it’s possible her memory isn’t the best. Is the Sorting Ceremony some kind of test? Maybe she should’ve studied some magic before school, instead of heeding Hagrid’s warning.</p>
<p>It was almost like Hermione’s train of thought was the same as hers because she said, “I’m glad I took some time to study some spells before school started. I wonder which one they’ll be testing?”</p>
<p>“You studied magic before coming?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“Of course, I did. I didn’t want to come unprepared.” Pulling her wand out of her robes, Hermione waved it and pointed it at Mary’s glasses. “<em>Reparo</em>.”</p>
<p>Mary saw a bit of smoke appear between her eyes. Cautiously, she reached up and touched the bridge of her glasses and found them fixed. “You fixed them. Thank you.”</p>
<p>Beaming, Hermione said, “You’re welcome.”</p>
<p>Thankfully, the other girl was doing a good job at distracting Mary and relaxing her nerves. Strangely, Hermione didn’t seem nervous at all. In fact, she seemed to relish in the possibility of a test. She was clearly eager to prove herself.</p>
<p>People screamed behind them, causing both Mary and Hermione to swing around. Many children gasped, including Mary, as about twenty ghosts slid through the back wall. White and translucent, they glided across the room, talking to one another and ignoring the students underneath them. They seemed to be arguing about something.</p>
<p>A short, fat monk said, “Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance.”</p>
<p>Another ghost dressed in a ruff and tights replied, “My dear Friar, haven’t we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he’s not even really a ghost.” He looked down and shock shot across his face. “I say! What are you all doing here?”</p>
<p>Before anyone could answer, the Fat Friar smiled down at them and said, “First Years! About to be Sorted, I suppose?” No one said anything, but a few people nodded their heads. He chuckled. “I hope to see you in Hufflepuff—my old House, you know.”</p>
<p>“Move along now,” Professor McGonagall said, her voice cutting through easily. “The Sorting Ceremony is about to start.” The ghosts seemed floated out the room, fleeing the scene. Professor McGonagall watched them for a moment and then started herding the students. “Form a line. Here we go. Follow me.”</p>
<p>Mary’s nerves had returned. Her legs felt like rubber and she had trouble moving them. She slid into the forming line and found Ron in front of her. Hermione was behind her. They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors.</p>
<p>The Great Hall greeted them with thousands of burning candles, floating over four long tables. There were already students seated at the tables, all of them animatedly talking. Some casting glances at the first years. At the far end of the hall was another long table where the staff was seated. Professor McGonagall led the group of children up the aisle and stopped just before the steps leading up to the teachers’ table. The chatter began to die down in the hall and finally silence fell. Now everyone was staring at the line of first years. Mary could see the ghosts had joined them in the Great Hall, they were floating around to find a place to watch. Nervously, Mary found her eyes wandering around and saw the ceiling was a shroud of darkness with stars that looked like they were really glimmering. Mary knew that it was bewitched to look like the sky outside but seeing it in person was a marvel.</p>
<p>When Mary looked back down, she found that Professor McGonagall was placing what looked like an old, faded witch’s hat onto a four-legged stool. The hat was patched and looked like it had been resewn a few times. It also looked like it needed a wash. Aunt Petunia would’ve had a fit if she saw it. Maybe this strange hat was related to the Sorting Ceremony in some way? She couldn’t imagine how, though.</p>
<p>For a few seconds, silence invaded the hall. Everyone was staring at the raggedy hat as if they were all waiting for something to happen. For a moment, Mary thought she saw the hat twitch. Was she so anxious she was beginning to see things? A rip near the brim opened into a smile and it started to sing:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Oh, you may not think I’m pretty,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But don’t judge me on what you see,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I’ll eat myself if you can find</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>A smarter hat than me.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You can keep your bowlers black,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Your top hats sleek and tall,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>For I’m the Hogwarts Sorting Hat</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And I can cap them all.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>There’s nothing hidden in your head</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The Sorting Hat can’t see,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>So try me on and I will tell you</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Where you ought to be.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You might belong to Gryffindor,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Where dwell the brave at heart,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Their daring, nerve, and chivalry</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Set Gryffindors apart;</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You might belong in Hufflepuff,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Where they are just and loyal,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Those patient Hufflepuffs are true</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And unafraid of toil;</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>If you’ve a ready mind,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Where those of wit and learning,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Will always find their kind;</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Or perhaps in Slytherin</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You’ll make your real friends,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Those cunning folk use any means</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>To achieve their ends.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>So put me on! Don’t be afraid!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And don’t get in a flap!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You’re in safe hands (though I have none)</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>For I’m a Thinking Cap!”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Once the song was over, the Great Hall burst into applause and cheering. The Sorting Hat gave a surprisingly graceful bow to each of the four tables before turning back to the line of first years.</p>
<p>Ron sighed with relief in front of her.</p>
<p>Shaking her head, Mary was also feeling relieved. No test. She was afraid of being scolded for not studying, even though she had desperately wanted to. Suddenly, Mary realized that they would be doing this in front of the entire school. Everyone would be watching her. She swallowed. In that moment, Mary did not feel brave, cunning, smart, or loyal. None of the qualities seemed to mesh with her. Doubt started flooding into her mind as she started to wander if there had been some kind of mistake. Maybe the Sorting Hat would realize that she didn’t have magic after all and they would send her back to the Dursleys. Her stomach gave a lurch and she had to fight back the urge to throw up.</p>
<p>Professor McGonagall stepped forward and unrolled a parchment in front of her. “When I call your name, you will come up and put on the hat and sit to be sorted.” Not even giving the students a second to think, she blurted, “Abbot, Hannah!”</p>
<p>A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stepped out of the line. She walked down the aisle toward the hat. Stepping up, she placed the hat on her head and sat down on the stool. The Sorting Hat fell over her eyes. There was a moment of silence before the hat the shouted, “Hufflepuff!”</p>
<p>The table to Mary’s right burst with cheers and applauded as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. The Fat Friar gave her a friendly wave.</p>
<p>“Bones, Susan!”</p>
<p>“Hufflepuff!” the hat shouted again.</p>
<p>“Boot, Terry!”</p>
<p>“Ravenclaw!”</p>
<p>The table on the left clapped. Some Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them at the table.</p>
<p>“Brocklehurst, Mandy!” She also went to Ravenclaw.</p>
<p>“Brown, Lavender!” She became the first to be sorted into Gryffindor. The table on the far left cheered and clapped as she went over to join them. Mary found the two Weasley twins among the people who came over to greet her.</p>
<p>“Bulstrode, Millicent!” She became the first Syltherin of their group. She walked over and joined the last remaining table on the far right.</p>
<p>“Finch-Fletchley, Justin!”</p>
<p>“Hufflepuff!”</p>
<p>Mary was beginning to notice that sometimes the hat shouted the name of the House the moment it touched someone’s head; however, sometimes it a while for the hat to decide.</p>
<p>“Finnigan, Seamus!”</p>
<p>A sandy-haired boy who was standing in front of Ron strode up and sat down on the stood. A minute went by before the hat finally called out Gryffindor.</p>
<p>“Granger, Hermione!”</p>
<p>Hermione speed walked up the stairs and threw the hat onto her head. Before she even sat down, the hat cried, “Gryffindor!”</p>
<p>In front of her, Mary heard Ron groan.</p>
<p>“Longbottom, Neville!”</p>
<p>It was the small boy who kept losing his toad. He slowly made his way up to the stool. He looked like he was about to be sick too. He stumbled on the first step but caught himself. Slowly, he picked up the hat, sat down on the stool, and plopped the hat onto his round head. A few minutes crawled by as everyone watched Neville.</p>
<p>“Gryffindor!” the hat finally shouted.</p>
<p>Neville ran off toward the Gryffindor table while still wearing the Sorting Hat. He realized his mistake halfway there, turned around, and returned it while the school roared with laughter. He sheepishly gave it to a boy named MacDougal, Morag, before turning around and walking toward the Gryffindor table with his cheeks burning red.</p>
<p>“Malfoy, Draco!”</p>
<p>Malfoy slid out from the line and swaggered his way over to the stool. He picked up the hat and just as it touched his crown, it screamed, “Slytherin!”</p>
<p>Malfoy walked over to the Slytherin table. He smirked at his two friends who were already there: Crabbe and Goyle. There weren’t many first years left in the line.</p>
<p>Moon, Nott, Parkinson, Patil and then her twin sister Patil, and Perks.</p>
<p>“Potter, Mary!”</p>
<p>Silence fell across the Great Hall as she stepped forward. She could hear the hiss of whispering all around her. She wasn’t sure what they were saying, but she was used to people whispering about her, so she strode forward unfazed. It was best to ignore them, so she did. Mary picked up the hat, sat down on the stool, and slid the hat over her head. Darkness surrounded her. She waited.</p>
<p>“Hm,” the hat whispered in her ear. “You’re a difficult one. Lots of courage here. It’s hard to stand up and be something when others tell you different. You would do well in Gryffindor. Oh, but what’s this? Definite thirst for knowledge. Maybe Ravenclaw would be better to sate that appetite? You’re quite the outsider. Had difficulty finding friends who will accept you as you are. Hufflepuff accepts all. You would find many friends there. Also, dare I say, cunning? Outthinking those who would chase you. Oh, definitely. You would do quite well in Slytherin.”</p>
<p>Slytherin? Hagrid and Ron didn’t seem to like that House. Also, if they didn’t like Muggleborns, they wouldn’t let her be friends with Hermione. No, not them.</p>
<p>“Not Slytherin? Hm, if you’re sure.” There was a moment of silence. “There’s not much else to it then. Gryffindor!”</p>
<p>Trembling, Mary took the hat off and gingerly placed it back on the stool. With wobbly knees, she walked over to the Gryffindor table. She was so stunned that she didn’t realize she was being surrounded by cheering students. Percy snatched her hand and he shook it vigorously. “Congratulations, Mary!”</p>
<p>Mary was surprised to hear Percy use her name and smiled up at the boy. Hermione came over and guided her over to a spot next to her. She noticed that the ghost in the ruff was floating nearby. He gave her a smile.</p>
<p>Looking up to the teacher’s table, she found Hagrid seated at the end nearest to the Gryffindor table. He caught her looking at him and he gave her a thumbs up. She gave a smile back at him, but even though her sorting was over her stomach hadn’t recovered yet. Her eyes went around the table and she found an old man sitting at the center of the table in a large golden chair. Mary recognized him as Professor Dumbledore from his Chocolate Frog card. She also saw Professor Quirrell. He was wearing a strange purple turban now. It wouldn’t stick out to her; except he hadn’t been wearing one when she met him in the Leaky Cauldron.</p>
<p>There were only four people left in the line of first years.</p>
<p>“Thomas, Dean!”</p>
<p>A boy of African descent walked over to the Gryffindor table. He was taller than Ron, who Mary had thought was already tall.</p>
<p>“Turpin, Lisa!”</p>
<p>She became a Ravenclaw.</p>
<p>“Weasley, Ron!”</p>
<p>Ron had turned the color of a lima bean. He walked up to the Sorting Hat and sat down with it on. There was a second or two before the hat shouted, “Gryffindor!”</p>
<p>He shakily set the Sorting Hat down and then attempted to confidently stride over to the table. The sick expression on his face betrayed him. Mary clapped as his brothers surrounded him.</p>
<p>“Well done, Ron! Excellent!” Percy slapped his younger brother on the back.</p>
<p>“Zabini, Blaise!”</p>
<p>He walked his way over to the Slytherin Table as Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and picked up the Sorting Hat. As she strode away, Professor Dumbledore stood up. His arms opened wide as he took a moment to smile to the entire room.</p>
<p>“Welcome,” he said. “Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. Here they are: nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak!” He bowed. “Thank you.” And then he sat down.</p>
<p>Everyone cheered and applauded the speech, but Mary wasn’t sure if the man had been serious or if he had said a joke.</p>
<p>“Is he mad?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>Percy looked down at her and said, “Mad? He’s a genius! Best wizard in the world, which means he is a bit mad.”</p>
<p>Mary heard Hermione gasp on the other side of her and as Mary turned to ask her why, she noticed before her mouth could say the words. The dishes in front of them were now piled with food. Thankfully, her stomach had settled now. She had never seen so much food on one table before. Mary had never been starved at the Dursleys, but they never let her eat as much as she liked before. Without a second thought, she began to put some roast beef, chicken, chips, and covered everything in ketchup. It was the most delicious thing that Mary had ever eaten before.</p>
<p>“That does look good,” the ghost in the ruff said while staring longingly at the food.</p>
<p>“You can’t eat?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>He shook his head and said, “I haven’t been able to eat in nearly five hundred years. Don’t need to, of course, but one does miss it.” He paused for a second before continuing, “Sorry, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower.”</p>
<p>Mary’s eyes widened for a moment and then she said, “Oh, I read about you. You’re Neary Headless Nick, aren’t you?”</p>
<p>He scoffed and said, “I would prefer that you call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy—”</p>
<p>“How can you be nearly headless?” Seamus Finnigan butted into the conversation.</p>
<p>Sir Nicholas glared down at the boy and looked like he had enough. “Like this!” He reached over his head and pulled on his right ear, his head swinging down to his shoulder as if it were on a hinge. It looked like someone had failed to behead him. Looking pleased at the shocked faces of the children around him, he flipped his head back onto his neck. “So, new Gryffindors! I hope you’re going to help us win the House Cup this year! The Gryffindors have gone such a long time without winning. Slytherins have got the Cup six years in a row. The Bloody Baron is becoming almost unbearable—he’s the Slytherin’s ghost.”</p>
<p>Looking over at the Slytherin table, Mary saw a ghost floating there with hollow eyes, gaunt cheeks, and robes stained with blood. He was currently glowering down at Malfoy, who was doing his best to ignore the ghost and eat.</p>
<p>“How did he get covered in blood?” Seamus asked.</p>
<p>“I’ve never asked,” Nick said gently. Mary wondered if it was considered rude to ask a ghost how they died.</p>
<p>When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean. A moment later, the deserts appeared. Mary was too full to eat anymore. She would’ve saved room if she knew that dessert was happening as well. The other children at the table started talking about their families.</p>
<p>“I’m half-and-half,” Seamus said. “My dad’s a Muggle. Mum’s a witch—she didn’t tell him ‘til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him.”</p>
<p>Everyone laughed.</p>
<p>“What about you, Neville?” Ron asked.</p>
<p>“Well, my gran brought me up and she’s a witch, but the family thought I was a Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off-guard and force some magic out of me—he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned—but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. I bounced all the way down to the garden and into the road. Everyone was pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here—they thought I might be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad.”</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Hermione and Percy were talking about lessons. Hermione said, “I do hope they start right away, there’s so much to learn. I’m particularly interested in transfiguration—turning something into something else. It’s supposed to be difficult.”</p>
<p>Percy bobbed his head along as she talked and then said, “You’ll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of thing.”</p>
<p>“Mary,” a voice snapped Mary back from her sleepy stupor. She turned to see Professor McGonagall looking down at her. She gestured toward the teacher’s table and said, “Come, come. There’s some people that you need to meet.”</p>
<p>Mary stood up from the table and followed the woman up to the teacher’s table. Standing in front of the table were two people. A man with greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin. Standing next to him was a kindly looking old woman.</p>
<p>Professor McGonagall said, “This is Professor Severus Snape, the Potions instructor, and Madam Promfrey, the matron of the infirmary.” She joined them and turned to Mary and continued, “I assume the three of you will be getting to know each other well during your time here at Hogwarts, Ms. Potter.”</p>
<p>“I’m not sure I understand,” Mary said.</p>
<p>Madam Pomfrey smiled at the young girl and said, “You will be meeting with me for regular check-ups. I understand that you’re a girl, but you were born a boy. Such a thing is but a setback for a witch, don’t worry. There are treatments.”</p>
<p>Professor Snape seemed to be staring rather intently down at Mary. “Your eyes… They’re the same as your mother’s,” he said mysteriously.</p>
<p>“I’ve been told that before,” Mary said.</p>
<p>There was a pause and then it looked like Professor Snape had snapped out of a dream. “Yes, of course. Treatments. I’m a master of all potions and I know exactly what you need. I’ve been preparing the necessary ingredients and potions during the summer.” He turned and gave a small smile at Mary. “Not to worry, Ms. Potter. You’re in good hands.”</p>
<p>As soon as he had said that a hot pain stabbed Mary right where her scar was on her forehead. She winced and only caught a brief look of Professor Quirrell’s shocked face before he rushed off and the pain was gone.</p>
<p>“Are you all right?” Madam Promfrey asked.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m fine now,” Mary said. “Sometimes my scar aches.”</p>
<p>Madam Promfrey nodded and said, “That’s to be expected with scars, but I suppose that’s not an ordinary scar.” She gave Mary a look of pity.</p>
<p>“We’ll speak to you about this further another time, Ms. Potter. I suggest you return to your seat. The headmaster is about to speak.” With that, Professor Snape strode away, looking off in the direction that Professor Quirrell had gone with his eyebrow raised.</p>
<p>Mary returned to her seat.</p>
<p>Percy leaned over and asked, “What was that about?”</p>
<p>“Professor McGonagall was introducing me to Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey. I’m probably going to be meeting with them often for my treatments.”</p>
<p>He nodded and said, “Oh, that makes sense. Be careful, though.”</p>
<p>“Why?” Mary asked.</p>
<p>“Snape doesn’t like Gryffindors very much. He also knows a lot about the Dark Arts, that Snape.”</p>
<p>Before Mary could ask what he meant about that, the desserts on the tables had disappeared and Professor Dumbledore had risen to his feet. The Great Hall hushed in an instance.</p>
<p>“Ahem, just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.</p>
<p>“First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that that as well.”</p>
<p>Dumbledore’s eyes suddenly looked at the Weasley twins, who looked mockingly insulted.</p>
<p>“I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.</p>
<p>“Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch.</p>
<p>“And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a painful death.”</p>
<p>Mary gave a chuckle, but then noticed no one was laughing. She leaned to Percy and asked, “He’s joking, right?”</p>
<p>“No, not about this,” he said, “It’s strange because he usually gives us a reason why we’re not allowed to go somewhere—the forest’s full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he might have told us prefects, at least.”</p>
<p>“And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!” Dumbledore announced merrily, while the other teachers smiled forcefully.</p>
<p>Dumbledore gave his wand a flick and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.</p>
<p>“Everyone pick their favorite tune,” Dumbledore said, “and off we go!”</p>
<p>Everyone in the Great Hall suddenly bellowed:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Hogwarts,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Teach us something please,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Whether we be old and bald</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Or young with scabby knees,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Our heads could do with filling</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>With some interesting stuff,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>For now they’re bare and full of air,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Dead flies and bits of fluff,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>So teach us things worth knowing,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Bring back what we’ve forgot,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Just do your best, we’ll do the rest,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And learn until our brains all rot.”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Everyone finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins were left singing along to a terribly slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped the loudest.</p>
<p>“Ah, music,” he said, wiping tears from his eyes. “A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you go, now!”</p>
<p>Percy stood up and announced, “All right, first years! Follow me!”</p>
<p>All the first years stood up and followed him out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase. Mary hoped that the dormitories weren’t too far away. Her eyes were getting heavy, her stomach was full, and her legs felt like they were struggling to carry her. The walls were lined with portraits that weren’t only moving like the people on her Chocolate Frog cards, but they were also whispering and pointing at them as they walked. Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, Mary becoming increasingly tired as they went. Suddenly, Percy stopped.</p>
<p>A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them. Percy took a step forward and the sticks came flying at him.</p>
<p>“Peeves,” Percy whispered at the first years behind him, “A poltergeist.” He raised his voice and stepped forward again. “Peeves, show yourself!” A loud raspberry answered Percy. “You want me to go get the Bloody Baron?”</p>
<p>There was a popping sound and a little man with dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating with his legs cross, clutching the walking sticks. “Ooooooh! Ickle Firsties! What fun!”</p>
<p>He swooped down at them suddenly, making them all duck with fright.</p>
<p>“Go away, Peeves, or the Baron’ll hear about this, I mean it!”</p>
<p>Peeves stuck out his tongue at Percy and vanished suddenly, the walking sticks dropping to the ground with a great rattle. They could still hear him going down the hall, banging into suits of armor as he went.</p>
<p>“You want to watch out for Peeves,” Percy said as they began walking again. “The Bloody Baron is the only one who can control him, he won’t even listen to us prefects. Ah, here we are!”</p>
<p>At the end of the corridor hung a portrait of a large woman in a pink, silk dress. “Password?” she asked.</p>
<p>“Caput Draconis,” Percy said, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all walked through it, though Neville needed help getting through, and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room. A cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.</p>
<p>Percy directed the girls to their dormitory and the boys to another. They walked up a spiral staircase—they were clearly in one of the towers. Mary followed Hermione and they found their beds: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, everyone put on their nightgowns and crawled into bed.</p>
<p>“I can’t wait for classes tomorrow,” Hermione said.</p>
<p>“Me too, I can’t wait to cast my first spell,” Mary said and closed her eyes and fell asleep immediately.</p>
<p>Mary had a strange dream that night. She dreamt that she was wearing a turban like Professor Quirrell for some reason, but that wasn’t even the strangest bit. It would talk to her. It told her she should have been sorted into Slytherin. It was her destiny. Mary tried to ignore the turban, but it only got heavy. So heavy that she could barely stand up. Finally, she tried pulling and ripping at the turban. She could see Malfoy and the Weasley twins nearby. She reached out and asked them for help. They only scoffed. Suddenly, a burst of green light shot out from underneath the turban and Mary woke with a start in a cold sweat.</p>
<p>Gasping, she looked around and only saw the sleeping forms of girls in their beds. Not a boy to be seen. She took in a deep breath and rolled over to fall back asleep. When she would wake up the next day, she wouldn’t remember the dream at all.</p>
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